NEW YORK – Ira Gollobin, founder of the National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR), died on April 3, 2008. His death followed that of his wife Ruth on February 17, 2008. Had Ira lived to celebrate another birthday on July 17, 2008, he would have turned 97.
Could he have lived to see his 97th birthday?
Probably, if he had agreed to spend the rest of his life bedridden and being sustained by the artificial means that modern American medicine places at one’s disposal.
But as typical of Ira, he thought about it, saw the writing on the wall, abandoned the idea of living a whole century and took the only logical course of action. Ira remained true to his beliefs till the end.
Ira Gollobin leaves us a legacy of principled advocacy, big heart, a strong commitment to the poor and an unshakable belief in the idea that the meek shall inherit the earth. He spent the last 35 years of his life deeply involved with the cause that came to dominate it: Haitian refugees.
To learn more about Ira Gollobin, visit the JMC STRATEGIES web site, http://jmcstrategies.com/.
If you have marched, rallied, lobbied or demonstrated on behalf of Haitian refugees; if Haitian immigrants to the US are better off today than they were 35 years ago; if you have defied conventional wisdom to fight against injustice and for civil and human rights, Ira has touched your life you are respectfully invited to share your memories of Ira or your thoughts on contemporary challenges by posting them on the JMC STRATEGIES web site, http://jmcstrategies.com/. They will be shared with his children and grandchildren.
Memorial Service
A Memorial Service for Ruth and Ira Gollobin will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 2:00 pm at the New York Society for Ethical Culture
2 West 64th Street, New York, NY 10021.
Please RSVP Ira’s daughter, Ruth Gollobin-Basta
by calling, 516.569.4034 or vie email, [email protected]
Ruth and Ira Gollobin
