John Courtin (CAS ’70, LAW ’78), 65
Executive Director of the Alumni Association

As a rower, coach, admissions officer, adjunct professor, executive director of the Georgetown University Alumni Association and 2014 recipient of the John Carroll Award, Courtin, who died June 29 after a prolonged illness, built a place for himself — and others — on the Hilltop. Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., he exemplified passion, whether for architecture, rowing — he rowed in Boat 1 for the 1969 Dad Vail championship heavyweight team — or Georgetown. He is survived by his wife Sharon (NHS ’74), his son Christopher and his daughters Allison, currently a coach for the men’s lightweight crew team, and Cathryn (SFS ’13).

Richard McCooey (C ’52), 83
Founder of The Tombs and 1789

From a family lunch during admissions weekend to a 21st-birthday forehead stamping to graduation dinner, two properties on 36th Street house the pinnacle of Georgetown tradition. Their founder — McCooey, who died Aug. 6 from complications related to cancer and cardiac arrest in Greenwich, Conn. — singularly embodied this tradition, infusing it into The Tombs, 1789 and, until its closure, F. Scott’s. The 1966 John Carroll Award winner, who had served as president of the Yard — the forerunner to the Georgetown University Student Association — and in the Air Force, augmented the collegiate feel of the neighborhood, providing a place to call home to the Georgetown Chimes and generations of Georgetown students. McCooey sold his properties to the Clyde’s Restaurant Group in 1985 but remained heavily involved, overseeing the art and decoration. He is survived by his wife Karen.

Karen Gale, 65
Professor of pharmacology and neuroscience

With 37 years as a professor of pharmacology and neuroscience at Georgetown, Gale, who died Aug. 21 from cancer, fostered a reputation as a mentor who championed creativity and diversity. Gale became a full professor in 1988 and published 175 papers, receiving over $10 million in research and training funding. She helped develop and lead the graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience. She posthumously received the President’s Award for Distinguished Scholar-Teachers, accompanying the creation of “The Karen Gale Memorial Lecture Fund for Women in Neuroscience.” She is survived by her husband Charles Underhill and her daughters Ali and Justine Underhill (COL ’11).

Andrea Jaime (NHS ’17), 19
Student

As the school year began, Georgetown students were left reeling at the loss of one of their own: Jaime, a human science major known for her passion, dedication and service. She died Sept. 16 from a case of bacterial meningitis. Originally from Bogota, Colombia, Jaime attended high school in Miami, Fla. and was a Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient and Community Scholar at Georgetown. With dreams of one day serving as a doctor in the army, she was set to become an emergency medical technician at a fire station in Bethesda, Md. In addition to the rigorous Nursing and Health Studies course load, Jaime was a member of the Georgetown University Grilling Society and the Georgetown Scholarship Program, and was known among her friends for her energy that resulted in many a scenic run.

Carol Lancaster (SFS ’64), 72
Dean of School of Foreign Service

For more than half its existence, the School of Foreign Service was impossible to extricate from Lancaster, its student, professor, dean — and champion. Lancaster, who died Oct. 22, had resigned the deanship in April following the discovery of a brain tumor in November 2013. In addition to holding multiple positions within the SFS, the D.C. native spent stints in public service, including one as deputy director for the United States Agency for International Development. Her expertise was developmental economics, and she authored 10 books on the subject, gaining a formidable reputation for academia — and a sense of humor. At Georgetown, she was integral to the establishment of master’s programs in global human development and Asian studies and the foundation of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. She is survived by her husband, Curt Farrar, son Doug Farrar (SFS ’05, GRD ’12), four stepchildren, seven grandchildren and daughter-in-law.

Fr. Patrick Heelan, S.J., 88
Vice President of the Main Campus

The William A. Gaston professor of philosophy, Jesuit priest, university administrator and physicist served Georgetown for 20 years in a multitude of capacities and was cherished for his ever-present smile. Heelan, who died Feb. 1 in his native Ireland, oversaw difficult transitions during his tenure as vice president of the main campus, such as the integration of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics into the College, but is remembered for his strong leadership. His academic interests spanned a vast breadth and were particularly notable for the focus on bridging the gap between science and religion.

James Alatis, 88
Dean of School of Languages and Linguistics

Alatis, who died Feb. 28, was integral to the growth and success of Georgetown’s preeminent School of Languages and Linguistics, serving as associate dean, dean and distinguished professor of linguistics and modern Greek over a 46-year career that culminated with retirement in 2012. Remembered for his kindness to colleagues, Alatis introduced the study of sociolinguistics, the departments of Arabic and Japanese and the Master of Arts in the Teaching English as a Second Language program, among other initiatives. He is survived by his wife, Penelope, his sons William, Stephen and Anthony, and three grandchildren. His memorial service is April 27 at the Gonda Theatre.