Georges Rene Delaume Obituary (1921 - 2016)

The world lost an extremely talented, accomplished, and educated man, Georges R. Delaume of Oro Valley, Arizona, on December 19th, 2016. Born in Paris, France on October, 11th, 1921, the son of Georges Andre and Yvonne (Pousse) Delaume, he was destined to travel far and wide in his 95 years on this earth. Although his university studies were interrupted by the German invasion of France in WWII, he became a doctor of law in 1944, and studied law at Cambridge University the following year. He came to the United States in 1949, when he accepted a position in the Legal Department of the fledgling International Monetary Fund. In 1954 he took a position as an attorney for the World Bank, eventually becoming a Senior Counsel in their Legal Department and retiring in 1986. Mr. Delaume worked on international arbitration law, primarily overseeing loans to French-speaking African countries. His efforts helped the process of building infrastructure in these countries and halting the spread of diseases for the people there. Always an advocate of education, Mr. Delaume was a professor of law at George Washington University in Washington D.C. for twenty-two years. His legal mind was appreciated by his colleagues around the world, and his mastery of English and French was impeccable. During his career, he wrote many books about international law. These have been so well-respected, that they are still used in law schools today. Following his retirement from the World Bank, he was a consultant for Curtis Mallet International Law Firm in Wash.D.C. In addition to his journeys for the World Bank, Mr. Delaume was an avid traveler, always eager to explore new places and cultures. He was a talented watercolor painter, and enjoyed capturing the beauty of these travels with his palette and brushes. He was also a passionate sailor, and while living in Washington and Virginia, he spent many delightful hours sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with his family. He is survived by his devoted wife and the love of his life, Sophia Delaume (nee Tang), of El Splendido, Oro Valley, AZ, his step-daughter, Faye Liu and her husband, Jerry Zawatski of Marana, AZ, his son, Georges H. Delaume of Great Falls, Virginia, his daughter, Annette Delaume Goyne and her husband, Jeff, of Richford, VT, his two granddaughters, Jennifer Goyne of Underhill, VT, and Annalise Goyne of Richford, VT, and his step-son, Harry Liu of Portland, OR.