Ambassador Timothy Towell, 1934-2026
By • September 10, 2026 0 376
Longtime Georgetown resident Timothy Lathrop Towell, diplomat and public servant, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Aug. 2. He was 92.
The following obituary was provided by the family.
Towell was born on January 31, 1934, in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Yale University in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. In 1962, he earned a Master of Arts in European History from Case Western Reserve University. In 1963, during the Kennedy Administration, he moved to Washington, D.C., and began his career with the United States Foreign Service.
Over the course of his Foreign Service career, Ambassador Towell served in a wide range of diplomatic assignments around the world, including postings in Valencia, Spain; Cochabamba, Bolivia; and Brussels, Belgium, among many others.
In 1979, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, Cuba. In 1983, he became Deputy Chief of Protocol, serving the President of the United States. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan nominated him to serve as United States Ambassador to the Republic of Paraguay during a pivotal period in that nation’s democratic transition. He was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate and served as Ambassador from 1988 to 1991.
Towell’s tenure in Paraguay coincided with the fall of the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner and the country’s transition to democratic governance. During this historic period, he worked to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Paraguay while promoting democratic institutions, economic cooperation and respect for human rights.
Following his retirement from the Foreign Service, Towell continued his commitment to public service as Director for Africa at the Peace Corps. He later founded the Foreign Policy Group in Washington, D.C., an international consulting firm that advised clients in fields including environmental policy, renewable energy and global healthcare.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Towell was a devoted father, grandfather and friend. He found great joy in the companionship of his beloved dogs in his historic Georgetown home and garden — and in his extensive library of music and books.
He is survived by his daughter, Dane Billings Towell of Stonington, Connecticut; his son, Timothy Nichols Towell and his wife, Jennifer, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; his grandsons, Jake and Michael Towell; his godson, Pedro E. V. Romero and family; as well as many friends and colleagues around the world.
A memorial service celebrating Ambassador Towell’s life will be announced by the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to K9s For Warriors.
