Obituary for Cline Jefferson Warren
“…Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine.” Isaiah 43:1
Cline Jefferson Warren, age 93, a retired State Department Foreign Service Officer and Agricultural Specialist, passed peacefully at Spring Arbor Senior Living, Crofton, MD.
Cline was born July 19, 1928 to Lewis and Gertrude Warren in Stokesdale, NC. He was the 10th of 12 brothers and sisters. As a child he readily and happily accepted his assigned chores with the tobacco, livestock, grains and vegetable farm. While in high school he won first place in the County Calf Contest and the Sears 4-H Club award for completion of several vegetable projects before graduating from high school.
He was the valedictorian of his high school senior class. Later he received an Alumni Scholarship to study Agricultural Economics at the Agricultural and Technical State University of Greensboro, NC. He received a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University of West Lafayette, IN and did further graduate work at Maryland University. Prior to a career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department, Cline served two years, 1952-1954, with the U.S. Army in South Korea as the Heavy Artillery Division’s Fire Director with I-Corp. Once hostility ceased, he spent the remainder of his stay in South Korea as Assistant to the Troop Information and Education Officer.
Cline’s first non-military career assignment in 1954 was with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service. He was given the responsibility to visit Historic Black Land Grant colleges to recruit candidates who wished to join the department. He was grateful that his efforts helped several persons to become employed.
Cline married Annie M. Settles on December 7, 1957. She preceded him in death on January, 7, 1995. They were blessed with two daughters, Donna (deceased) and Gail.
At USDA, Cline studied, analyzed and made recommendations for solutions to prospective projects that could make for increased competition for U.S. agriculture. Some of his studies were published and are on file at the Library of Congress.
Later he was promoted to be a Foreign Service Officer and assigned to the State Department. For years he was a member of the nine-member Candidate Selection Board for Foreign Service Officers. From 1972 -1976, he served two years each as Agricultural Attaché to the Netherlands and then the United Kingdom, followed by two years as Agricultural Officer to Thailand. He completed his career with the State Department in 1984 after having served three years each as Regional Area Officer for Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia, respectively.
The family and Cline were indeed blessed as they ventured into an unknown world. They visited 80 or more foreign countries and all 50 U.S. states (most with the entire family).
There was also the opportunity for Cline to be the guide for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture’s 7-day observation and study tour of Africa and Middle East agriculture and to lead the Chinese Minister of Agriculture and his 10-men delegation on an observation study of U.S. agriculture.
The challenge and joy of Cline’s government career was greatly appreciated by him. But it fell far short of the pleasure and enjoyable life experienced from 30+ years of retirement. In retirement he renovated several houses in Washington, D.C. He lived on a small farm in Friendship, MD where he grew fruits and vegetables for the Washington, D.C. market. The proceeds were given to support Boy Scout activities which kept him in continuous touch with his boyhood days. Several of his undertakings were rewarded with merit certificates.
He was a strong supporter of the A&T Alumni Association and in 2011 established an endowment scholarship fund to help deserving students pursuing a career in Agricultural Economics.
Cline became a member of Sargent Church in 1962. For many years he served on the Trustee Board, was a member of the Adult Sunday School class and of the Men’s Council, hosted the annual outing for the Council and served as Chairman for landscaping of the parking lot. He served on the Selection Committee that selected Sargent’s current Reverend Juan P. Guthrie. Thanks to the Sargent Family for your love and support.
Cline was predeceased by his parents, first wife, Annie Settles Warren, daughter, Donn E. Warren, grandson, Marcus W. Gibson, and eleven siblings. He is survived by his devoted wife Martha Warren (formerly Jones) of Friendship, MD; daughter Gail Gibson (Charles) of Bowie, MD; two step-daughters, Sonya Sheppard (Will) of Dover, DE and Jennifer Jones of Bowie, MD; one granddaughter, Michelle Gibson and two grandsons, Noah Sheppard and Julian Jones.
Cline Jefferson Warren, age 93, a retired State Department Foreign Service Officer and Agricultural Specialist, passed peacefully at Spring Arbor Senior Living, Crofton, MD.
Cline was born July 19, 1928 to Lewis and Gertrude Warren in Stokesdale, NC. He was the 10th of 12 brothers and sisters. As a child he readily and happily accepted his assigned chores with the tobacco, livestock, grains and vegetable farm. While in high school he won first place in the County Calf Contest and the Sears 4-H Club award for completion of several vegetable projects before graduating from high school.
He was the valedictorian of his high school senior class. Later he received an Alumni Scholarship to study Agricultural Economics at the Agricultural and Technical State University of Greensboro, NC. He received a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University of West Lafayette, IN and did further graduate work at Maryland University. Prior to a career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department, Cline served two years, 1952-1954, with the U.S. Army in South Korea as the Heavy Artillery Division’s Fire Director with I-Corp. Once hostility ceased, he spent the remainder of his stay in South Korea as Assistant to the Troop Information and Education Officer.
Cline’s first non-military career assignment in 1954 was with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service. He was given the responsibility to visit Historic Black Land Grant colleges to recruit candidates who wished to join the department. He was grateful that his efforts helped several persons to become employed.
Cline married Annie M. Settles on December 7, 1957. She preceded him in death on January, 7, 1995. They were blessed with two daughters, Donna (deceased) and Gail.
At USDA, Cline studied, analyzed and made recommendations for solutions to prospective projects that could make for increased competition for U.S. agriculture. Some of his studies were published and are on file at the Library of Congress.
Later he was promoted to be a Foreign Service Officer and assigned to the State Department. For years he was a member of the nine-member Candidate Selection Board for Foreign Service Officers. From 1972 -1976, he served two years each as Agricultural Attaché to the Netherlands and then the United Kingdom, followed by two years as Agricultural Officer to Thailand. He completed his career with the State Department in 1984 after having served three years each as Regional Area Officer for Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia, respectively.
The family and Cline were indeed blessed as they ventured into an unknown world. They visited 80 or more foreign countries and all 50 U.S. states (most with the entire family).
There was also the opportunity for Cline to be the guide for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture’s 7-day observation and study tour of Africa and Middle East agriculture and to lead the Chinese Minister of Agriculture and his 10-men delegation on an observation study of U.S. agriculture.
The challenge and joy of Cline’s government career was greatly appreciated by him. But it fell far short of the pleasure and enjoyable life experienced from 30+ years of retirement. In retirement he renovated several houses in Washington, D.C. He lived on a small farm in Friendship, MD where he grew fruits and vegetables for the Washington, D.C. market. The proceeds were given to support Boy Scout activities which kept him in continuous touch with his boyhood days. Several of his undertakings were rewarded with merit certificates.
He was a strong supporter of the A&T Alumni Association and in 2011 established an endowment scholarship fund to help deserving students pursuing a career in Agricultural Economics.
Cline became a member of Sargent Church in 1962. For many years he served on the Trustee Board, was a member of the Adult Sunday School class and of the Men’s Council, hosted the annual outing for the Council and served as Chairman for landscaping of the parking lot. He served on the Selection Committee that selected Sargent’s current Reverend Juan P. Guthrie. Thanks to the Sargent Family for your love and support.
Cline was predeceased by his parents, first wife, Annie Settles Warren, daughter, Donn E. Warren, grandson, Marcus W. Gibson, and eleven siblings. He is survived by his devoted wife Martha Warren (formerly Jones) of Friendship, MD; daughter Gail Gibson (Charles) of Bowie, MD; two step-daughters, Sonya Sheppard (Will) of Dover, DE and Jennifer Jones of Bowie, MD; one granddaughter, Michelle Gibson and two grandsons, Noah Sheppard and Julian Jones.