This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Carole L. Brookins, one of the few women working in finance in the 1970s, was also a lover of history and was particularly fascinated by World War II. For her 70th birthday in 2013, she invited nearly 40 friends from around the world to join her for a two-day exploration of the beaches of Normandy, where they delved into the history of D-Day.

“She hired nothing but the best guides and feted us all,” said Gary Blumenthal, who succeeded her as president of World Perspectives, a firm based in Arlington, Va., that analyzes agricultural markets.

Ms. Brookins died on March 23 at a hospital in Palm Beach, Fla. She was 76.

She was known for her expertise on the global political economy and its effect on agricultural and food markets, and she served as executive director of the World Bank from 2001 to 2005.