DONOR PROFILE

The Jonathan Hames ’88 Memorial Fund

George Thompson ’88, Robert Eng ’88, Tim Logan ’88 and Andrew Armstrong ’88, sitting on the Jonathan Hames ’88 Bench, were instrumental in getting the memorial fund up and running.

In the Outdoor Student Common, just off the turf where the boys play, rest and congregate, sits a wooden bench. In the late spring of 2019, the bench, opposite Lifers Way, was aptly named the Jonathan Hames ’88 Memorial Bench.

Jon died on November 6, 2013, after a year-long struggle with esophageal cancer, surrounded by beloved fellow Georgians who cared for him during his difficult battle. He was warm, compassionate, thoughtful, strong and a true friend, much loved by his classmates.

Jon started at St. George’s in 1978, but was unable to graduate with his friends, forced to leave the College before his final year of high school when his parents fell upon difficult times. His name is up on Lifers Way in honour of the man who was Georgian in every way, thanks to spending almost an entire decade at 120 Howland.

In 2019, some of Jon’s closest friends from the Class of 1988 came together to create the Jonathan Hames ’88 Memorial Fund. Robert Eng, George Thompson, Tim Logan and Andrew Armstrong – all of whom are Legacy Dads with sons at the College – felt very strongly that all Georgian families should be able to have their sons graduate from RSGC regardless of their financial situation.

“The whole idea of creating the memorial fund was to try to preserve his memory and also to, in some way, give back to the community because of what happened to Jon,” said Robert Eng, whose son Justin is in the Class of 2022. “The hope was that we would initially try to contact people who knew and remembered Jon. Beyond that, the hope is that eventually people in other years will contribute because of what it represents. It allows somebody to complete an education that they valued.”

George Thompson, whose son Sebastian is in the Class of 2025, stressed that the outpouring of affection for Jon during his illness, the bench and the memorial fund all show the power and importance of connection and community.

“It was touching and sad to see his life altered so traumatically and quickly, and then end prematurely. His situation was, in a lot of ways, an opportunity for the class to reconnect with him and support him during the difficult time he was going through,” said George. “Being able to contribute to something that is a permanent legacy is amazing. If you’re really lucky, you get to be part of the community that is RSGC and the realities of the ups and downs of life, which you don’t think about when you’re in high school.”

The establishment of this fund allows the Class of 1988 to continue to connect, which is extremely meaningful to George and the other guys who established it.

“It’s yet another symbol of the continued journey through our experiences together,” said George, who is hoping that the fund will grow over time. “I think we can continue the process of encouraging people to give. The school has an opportunity as part of the strategic plan to ensure that endowments are growing and the opportunity is right for people to give. This is a nice symbol for our class to contribute to the school over time.”

If you would like to donate to the Jonathan Hames ’88 Memorial Fund to help ensure that students can finish their final year at the College regardless of their families’ financial situation, please visit www.rsgc.ca/giving.