Anthony A. Churchill, accomplished economist
Anthony A. Churchill, 76, of North Shores, Rehoboth, and Chevy Chase, Md., died suddenly Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, at Christiana Hospital in Newark, after suffering a stroke at his beach house in North Shores the prior day. He was devoted to spending time at the beach, and came year round. He spent increasing amounts of time there after his retirement from the World Bank in 1994. Nothing gave him more pleasure than piloting his 19-foot motorboat up and down the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. An accomplished artist, he turned out a prodigious number of paintings working at his easel in a nook of his dining area overlooking the North Shores marina. Working in acrylics, he produced still lifes, portraits and landscapes.
Anthony Churchill was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada April 13, 1938, and grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, a city known round the world for the beauty of its flowers. He brought his Victorian love of flowers to the East Coast, and established beautiful English style gardens at both his homes.
An admired economist and manager at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (The World Bank), he was greatly respected by the many who worked under him as well as by senior management for his brilliant insights and clear eyed vision. His career at the World Bank spanned 29 years, 1965-94. Early in his career he served a two-year stint as part of the first team of World Bank staff to set up a resident mission in Djakarta, Indonesia. He served as the first director of the Urban and Water Supply Department, and later as the first director of the Industry and Energy Department.
In addition to painting and gardening, his avocations included woodworking, gourmet cooking, reading and the theater. In Rehoboth he was a member of the Seaside Jewish Community. He was also a major supporter of the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., and a volunteer leader with Boy Scout Troop 52 of Washington, D.C./Chevy Chase, which he served 10 years at scoutmaster. He loved preparing hors d’oeuvres for his annual end of the season beach party at the beach house.
Anthony Churchill was a particularly loving and devoted father to his blended family. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Joan Goodman Churchill; seven children (his, hers, and theirs): William Aylward Churchill (Remy) of Port Alberni, British Columbia, Eric Anthony Churchill of Lake Worth, Fla., Jacqueline Arrowsmith, of Washington, D.C., Rebecca Ann Grimes (Richard) of Alexandria, Va., Christopher Allen Churchill of Denver, Colo., David Arthur Churchill of Chevy Chase, and Elizabeth Margaret Beazley (Chris) of Monroe, Va.; and five grandchildren. He leaves a sister, Elizabeth Jane Crofton (Mark) and brothers Jonathan Martin Churchill and Simon Geoffrey Churchill (Daphne), all of Victoria, BC, and many loving nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed.
