Ralph Dungan, N.J. official and aide to presidents

Ralph Dungan, 90, U.S. ambassador to Chile from 1964 to 1967 and New Jersey chancellor of higher education from 1967 to 1977, died Saturday, Oct. 5, at his home in St. John Parish, Barbados, of complications from surgery.

"Ralph was a lifelong learner with an abiding sense of adventure and curiosity," daughter Jennifer wrote in notes accompanying his biography.

"Ralph was a man of ideas and action who held compassion, education, and public service in the highest regard."

As chancellor, his job involved "overseeing Rutgers and all public colleges and universities in New Jersey," his niece Molly Rowley said.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Dungan served from 1942 to 1945 in World War II as a Navy pilot.

He earned a bachelor's degree in political science at what is now St. Joseph's University in 1950 and a master's in public administration at Princeton University in 1952.

Mr. Dungan began his career as an analyst for the Bureau of the Budget from 1952 to 1957, before working as a legislative assistant for Sen. John F. Kennedy (D., Mass.) from 1957 to 1960, his daughter said.

After working on the 1960 Democratic presidential campaign, he was a special assistant to President Kennedy from 1961 until he was assassinated in 1963.

Mr. Dungan then continued as an aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson before serving as ambassador to Chile.

After his term as higher education chancellor, when he resided in Princeton, Mr. Dungan was U.S. executive director for the Inter-American Development Bank from 1977 to 1981.

From 1981 to 1982, he was involved in private sector development for the Caribbean Development Bank. From 1982 to 1988, he was Eastern Caribbean director for the International Executive Service Corps.

Besides his daughter and niece, Mr. Dungan is survived by wife Judith; sons Chris, Peter, Jim and Paul, and daughters Nancy and Moira. His first wife, Mary, died in 1987. Their son John died in 1963.

A Funeral Mass was set for 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, Verdun, St. John, Barbados, with a memorial service in the United States planned for an undetermined date.