October 12, 2001 - United States Peace Corps: Peace Corps Volunteer Larisa Jaffe Dies

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2001: 10 October 2001 Peace Corps Headlines: October 12, 2001 - United States Peace Corps: Peace Corps Volunteer Larisa Jaffe Dies

By Admin1 (admin) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 3:47 pm: Edit Post

The United States Peace Corps has reported the death of volunteer Larisa Jaffe on their web site at:

Peace Corps Volunteer Larisa Jaffe Dies

Peace Corps Volunteer Larisa Jaffe Dies

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 12, 2001—Peace Corps Acting Deputy Director Lloyd Pierson announced today the death of Peace Corps Volunteer, Larisa Jaffe, 63, of Salt Lake City, Utah. Mrs. Jaffe, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Russian ancestry, was serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Manicaland District of Zimbabwe at the time of her death.

Mrs. Jaffe’s death is a suspected homicide. Her body was discovered on Wednesday, October 10, at which time two Zimbabwe citizens were taken into custody as possible suspects. A routine autopsy will be performed. The death is unrelated to recent terrorist events, and political strife in Zimbabwe.

“Mrs. Jaffe’s death is an enormous loss to Peace Corps,” stated Pierson, “we are working with her daughter to understand and recover from this unexpected loss. From all that I have come to know about Mrs. Jaffe, she was industrious, innovative, creative and motivated. She was an inspiration and role model to her colleagues and the staff.”

As a Peace Corps volunteer, Mrs. Jaffe worked for Catholic Development Commission Health Department as an information officer. In her job, she assisted with materials development on HIV/AIDS awareness education, staff capacity-building in computer literacy, information technology and the evaluation of programs. She also helped to organize festivals for the local orphan outreach program.

Mrs. Jaffe came to Peace Corps with a Ph.D. in geology from the Academy of Sciences in Moscow, a technical degree in data processing from Salt Lake City and an MA in teaching a foreign language from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California. She was a certified teacher in Utah, an emergency medical technician, and was certified in the state of California as a nursing assistant and home health aide. She had experience in medical research, in the analysis of health care institutions and teaching adults and high school students in California, Utah and Massachusetts. She traveled extensively, including a solo trip around the world in 1994-95 covering two dozen countries in Southeast Asia and South America. She also traveled to Morocco, Russia and Australia. In addition to her service with Peace Corps, Mrs. Jaffe did volunteer work for Planned Parenthood in Utah and Hospice of Monterey Peninsula, California.

“Larisa Jaffe was a wonderful, spirited person who was a committed Peace Corps volunteer,” stated Lois Hobson, Country Director for Zimbabwe. “Having been born in another country, she thought that Peace Corps was an exciting opportunity for her to serve others overseas. She will be missed.”

By Admin1 (admin) on Wednesday, October 17, 2001 - 8:56 am: Edit Post

Read this story from the Salt Lake City Tribune:

Foul Play Suspected in Death of Utahn in Zimbabwe

Foul Play Suspected in Death of Utahn in Zimbabwe

Tuesday, October

16, 2001

BY ASHLEY ESTES BROUGHTON THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

A 63-year-old Salt Lake City woman died last week while working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zimbabwe, the victim of a "suspected homicide," officials said.

The body of Larisa Jaffe was found last Wednesday, said a Peace Corps statement sent Monday to The Salt Lake Tribune. At the same time, two Zimbabwe citizens were taken into custody as "possible suspects," the statement said.

The Peace Corps said Jaffe's death was unrelated to recent terrorist events or to political strife in Zimbabwe. Ellen Field, spokeswoman at the Peace Corps' Washington, D.C., headquarters, said no further information was available.

No one answered the telephone Monday at Jaffe's residence.

Jaffe, who was born in Russia but was a naturalized U.S. citizen, was serving in the rural Manicaland District of Zimbabwe, working for Catholic Development Commission Health Department.

Dan Dawson, an administrative officer in the Peace Corps' Denver office and a former recruiter, remembered meeting Jaffe for the first time in April 2000 at a Peace Corps nomination party at the University of Utah.

Dawson said he invited applicants to come forward and talk about why they had applied for the Peace Corps.

"Larisa spoke last," he said. "It was so thrilling to listen to her talk about how grateful she was to America for giving her such a wonderful opportunity to serve her adopted country.

"It was kind of a moving example of what America is all about," Dawson said.

Jaffe held a doctoral degree in geology from the Academy of Sciences in Moscow, a technical degree in data processing from an unspecified Utah college and a master's degree in teaching a foreign language from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California, according to the Peace Corps.

She was listed on a Utah Education Network Web site as an applied technology teacher at West High School, but was not listed on the school's Web site as a current teacher.

Jaffe was also an emergency medical technician and was certified in California as a nursing assistant and home health aide, the statement said.

She traveled extensively, the Peace Corps release said, including a solo trip around the world in 1994-95, in which she visited two dozen countries in Southeast Asia and South America. She visited Morocco, Russia and Australia as well.

Dawson recalled that after her moving speech at the April event, Jaffe persuaded another applicant to accept an invitation to serve in Russia.

"[The applicant] instantly warmed to this vivacious, open-hearted Russian woman who spoke so convincingly of the great friendliness and hospitality of the Russian people," he wrote. "Later, I learned that my applicant did accept the invitation to Russia, and I like to think Larisa had much to do with her decision."

aebroughton@sltrib.com

By Fernando Duque-Goodman on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 4:07 pm: Edit Post

I´m trying to get Mrs Kathy Dunlap and/or Joel Jacobsen address and e-mail. They worked as Peace Corps volunteers in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, 1979-1981. Since there, I didn´t have any news from them. I consider them as very good persons and friends. If you can help me to find them, I would be very grateful for your kindly help.
Sincerely yours
Fernando Duque Goodman

By JoelJacobsen (hermes-trading-co-1060745.cust-rtr.swbell.net - 64.219.156.238) on Thursday, July 22, 2004 - 12:13 pm: Edit Post

Fernando,
Hi! I'm alive and well in Edinburg, Texas. I've sent you an email and hope it gets to you!
Joel Jacobsen
jacobsenrgv@yahoo.com

By Isabel Legarda (173.48.210.241) on Monday, August 02, 2010 - 12:55 pm: Edit Post

It's been almost 9 yrs since the tragic death of Larisa Jaffe but I am only learning of it now. I was going through some old school notes and folders in a box from my basement and came across some papers from a Russian class I took through the Cambridge Center for Adult Education in Massachusetts - a class taught by Larisa. I think I had recently finished college because I believe I took that Russian class in '96 after years of longing to learn the language. Larisa got me started on making a lifelong dream come true, and I'll never forget her. She was warm, witty, encouraging, and just wonderful to be around. I remember at that time she was hoping to move to Salt Lake. She also helped me make friends with a Russian woman who remains my friend to this day. It's in part because of Larisa that my trip to Russia last April was such a terrific experience; I was able to speak and read a little, and I got back in touch with this friend. I want to send a message to Larisa's daughter somehow that I will always remember her mom for the difference she made in my life even though I only crossed paths with her briefly, and I am deeply saddened to learn of the end of her life - a life still spent, not surprisingly, in diligent, uplifting, spirited, and generous service to others. I will always remember Larisa's teaching and kindness and hold her in my heart with thankfulness.


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