William Rountree; Envoy for 6 Presidents

William Manning Rountree, 78, veteran U.S. diplomat who served under six presidents. Rountree, who spent 38 years in government service, was ambassador to Pakistan, Sudan, South Africa and Brazil and served as assistant secretary of state for the Near East, South Asia and Africa. He also worked in embassies or on special missions in Egypt, Greece, Palestine, Iran, Iraq and Turkey. He earned the State Department Superior Service Award for helping negotiate the admission of Greece and Turkey to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and was the first State Department officer to receive the National Civil Service League Career Award for distinguished service. On Nov. 3 in Gainesville, Fla.