Irvin C. Hamilton, August 4, 1935 to May 25, 2015
I did not know Irv until the last year of his life, but in that last year he made a deep impression on my fellow ASEB Board Members, our staff, and me. Irv had a long and successful career in public relations and was a consultant to governments in places as far flung as Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea where he and his wife Patricia Loftus Lee had some scary adventures. When he started attending our early stage meetings in 2014 he bonded rapidly with the group and our staff. In conversation he was unfailingly polite while delighting in joking and teasing.
In my separate conversations with him I realized what a great asset he could be to ASEB since he could both speak and write clearly about the challenges of living with a diagnosis of dementia. He broke the ground for our new Memory Care Center on the campus of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose in Fremont. He wrote our end of year direct mail appeal letter that raised a record sum. He participated eloquently in, and brought perspective to, our Board and Strategic Planning meetings as a member of our Advisory Council. He spoke movingly at a “Hilarity for Charity” fund-raiser on what it is like to live with a diagnosis of dementia and even found time for a joke in his allotted seven minutes which he kept to the second.
It was a great shock to us all when following hospitalization his physical condition rapidly deteriorated.
Our thoughts and sympathy go to his wife Patricia, his sole caregiver for the last five years.
Lance Reynolds
President, ASEB Board of Directors
Irv left a great impression upon me from the first time he was introduced to the Board. What struck me the most was his awareness and fearlessness of the disease from which he spoke. He was so stoic sharing a depth of honesty, integrity, passion and even uncertainty. At the Board meeting and the Cal event, he was truly remarkable and thought provoking. This is a devastating loss to the ASEB family and my heart goes out to his family and those lives he touched.
I had the chance to spend some time today at ASEB. There are many that are just completely heartbroken over his loss. I truly believe the measure of a person’s life are the impressions he leaves behind. Only meeting Irv on a few occasions, I thank him for all that he was able to give and only pray when I’m called home, I’m able to handle it with the same grace he displayed.
May he rest in peace.
Shaun Charles
Vice President, ASEB Board of Directors
Irv’s wife Patricia has asked that anyone who chooses to show their respect can do so by making donations “In Honor Of Irv Hamilton” to ASEB.