Former US Ambassador to Cyprus Judith Garber has died

The US Embassy in Cyprus has announced the death of the former US Ambassador to Nicosia, Judith Garber.

A Facebook post on the Embassy’s page said, “With heavy hearts we convey the passing on May 4 of Judith Garber, our U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus from 2019-2022, who leaves behind a decades-long legacy of dedicated service to the United States of America. Ambassador Garber championed the 🇺🇸- 🇨🇾 relationship, tirelessly supported the UN-led effort toward a comprehensive settlement agreement to the Cyprus question, and galvanized environmental stewardship. She treasured her time in Cyprus as a special part of her career.

Her memorial service will be available online at https://www.templerodefshalom.org/worship/livestream/ on Thursday, May 9 at 6:30pm (Cyprus time). We invite you to share your memories of Ambassador Garber on https://www.jeffersonfuneralchapel.com/.../Judith-Garber/....Further information on a local event to honor her memory will be forthcoming.

May her memory be a blessing.”

In an exclusive interview with GOLD magazine nine months into her time in Cyprus, Garber, among other things expressed her family’s pleasure at her being posted to Cyprus.

“We served in the Eastern Mediterranean before and everybody really loved it,” she said, noting that, after having previously had some familiarity with Cyprus in the context of the transatlantic relations that had made up a significant part of her career, she had “been learning the reality of Cyprus” since actually living here.

“It’s been absolutely wonderful,” she continued, “It’s a beautiful island; the history, the culture, the food…! And the people are just so warm and hospital, so on a personal level it’s been absolutely fantastic.”

She also said that she considered the period she was had been posted on the island, as a great time to be the US Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus.