Donella Margaret Moss: 9 February 1938-28 November 2022.

• Author: McGibbon, Ian
• Position: OBITUARIES

NZIIA members were saddened to learn that former NZIIA committee member Donella Moss had passed away in a Christchurch rest home recently.

Donella Palmer was born in Wellington and educated at Palmerston North Girls' College and Nelson Girl's College. She graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a BA in 1959 and an MA with first-class honours in the following year, during which she was a senior scholar. She was active in student repertory.

Donella joined the Department of External Affairs as a research assistant in December 1959--the usual path for women graduates aspiring to a diplomatic career in those days. She left New Zealand in September 1960, probably to take up a scholarship in the United Kingdom. Perhaps partly because of her proximity, she was posted to the New Zealand embassy in Paris as a third secretary in 1962. In recommending her promotion to the State Services Commission in 1964, Secretary of External Affairs Alister McIntosh indicated that she had been posted after a 'very brief' period in head office 'as her ability with languages and general promise met the needs of the Embassy'. She had, he noted, assisted the ambassador, C.E. Beeby, 'with great competence', particularly in dealing with the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, which was headquartered in the French capital. She was part of the New Zealand delegation to the UNESCO General Conference's Thirteenth Session in October-November 1964.

Returning to Wellington in December 1964, Donella spent the rest of her diplomatic career at head office, rising to the rank of first secretary. She served in the Asian and Research Divisions; in the latter, she was helpful to students, including myself, researching in External Affairs files. She then became deputy head of the Administration Division. In 1969 she married Brian Moss, graphic designer and photographer, and...