Lives Well Lived—Fall 2018
Georgetown Magazine is trying something new: honoring a few alumni who recently passed away with short obituaries. For the full In Memoriam go to magazine.georgetown.edu. We’ll update the listing quarterly.
In calling this new section, “Lives Well Lived,” we share portraits of alumni beyond the headlines who have made an indelible impact living day to day. Let us know what you think at magazine@georgetown.edu.
Henry Fortunato (F’78)
If Henry Fortunato (F'78) ever had a driver's license, it had been a long time since he had been behind the wheel of a car, despite living in a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, for 20 years. Instead, he was a walker. Not just everyday strolls, but ever-longer hikes that enabled this native New Yorker to experience Kansas and its history first-hand, whether walking to Wichita over 10 days or a six-week trek across the entire state. He spearheaded the development of interpretive signage in Kansas and Missouri so others could enjoy local trails as he did, as hikes through history every day.
Sharing the joys of history and culture defined Fortunato, who died at age 62 on February 5, 2018. He had lung cancer. For nine years, Fortunato was the Kansas City Public Library’s Director of Public Affairs. His flair for programming—he attracted the likes of Sandra Day O'Connor and David McCullough to speak—not only brought people in for award-winning history series such as “Meet the Past,” but also established the library as an intellectual force in revitalizing the city's downtown.
While at Georgetown, Fortunato was the youngest Georgetown Voice editor, and later editor-in-chief of Regardie’s, a D.C. magazine that chronicled the business and social life of the city, before moving to Kansas.
Fortunato is survived by his wife, Eileen O'Hara (F’80), and their three children, Alexander, Peter, and Victoria.
Christopher J. Remington (C’95)
In 1991, a left-handed lacrosse prodigy, Christopher J. Remington (C’95), arrived on campus and helped improve the firepower of the Hoya lacrosse offense by an average of two-and-a-half goals per game in his four years at Georgetown. Garnering All-America honors as a junior and senior, by the time Remington graduated he held the all-time record for both career goals and total points at Georgetown.
Pat McArdle (C’72, L’77), executive director for athletic relations, remembers Remington’s student leadership not only as team captain but also by example. “Chris had a real focus and determination in whatever he did—obviously in athletics, but also in his personal and professional life. He set goals and went after them with enthusiasm.”
A government and international relations major, Remington worked in financial advising and investment training in Washington, D.C. A resident of Kensington, Maryland, he was a youth lacrosse coach and continued to play on a masters’ level. Remington was an active Georgetown volunteer, serving as president of the Hoya Crease Club, the support group for men’s lacrosse.
Remington died suddenly on January 3, 2018, at age 44. He is survived by his wife, Amy, and their three children, Madeline, Connor, and Cole.
Lauren Geoghegan (C’10) and Jay Austin (G’10)
Lauren Geoghegan (C’10) and Jay Austin (G’10) shared not only love and a life together but also a mutual passion to live simply and to explore the world in a way that maximized human connection. The couple, both 29, quit their jobs—Lauren at Georgetown’s admissions office and Jay from the Department of Housing and Urban Development—to bike around the globe. They blogged honestly about hardships, frustrations, illnesses, and occasional moments of danger as they biked through Africa, Europe, and Central Asia, but what they found overwhelming in their year of cycling was kindness in strangers. Austin blogged in April: “Badness exists, sure, but even that’s quite rare. By and large, humans are kind. Self-interested sometimes, myopic sometimes, but kind. Generous and wonderful and kind. No greater revelation has come from our journey than this.”
But badness found the couple. On July 29, Geoghegan, Austin, and two other cyclists were killed in Tajikistan in an attack that the Islamic State claimed responsibility for. The assault occurred in the countryside. Assailants rammed a car into the cyclists before attacking and killing them.
On July 25—Day 365 of their journey—the couple posted on Instagram a photo of snow-capped mountains in the Ak-Baital Pass in the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan. Austin described the 4,655-meter ascent as probably the hardest climb of his life. It was their last post.
Reggie Wiley (C’14)
Reggie Wiley (C’14) embodied the Jesuit and Georgetown commitment to social justice. He was involved with Alternate Breaks, an immersion program offered during the winter and spring breaks for students who want to do service and social justice work. He was a leader on Habitat for Humanity projects and was part of the D.C. Schools Project, which provides mentoring and tutoring to youth and adults learning English. Not without a playful side, Wiley’s choreography and dancing talents guaranteed loud applause at performances by Ritmo y Sabor, Georgetown’s Latin dance group.
After graduating, Wiley returned to his hometown of Houston, Texas, and joined EMERGE, where he worked to prepare high-performing students from underserved communities to attend and graduate from college. Wiley later joined 270 Strategies as a grassroots organizer.
Wiley passed away in July 2017, from asthma-related complications. His passion for social justice continues to drive the work of his family and friends. Wiley inspired his partner, Alejandro Freeman, to co-found a college readiness technology company. Freeman and one of Wiley’s friends, Naureen Ali, created a scholarship for EMERGE students in Wiley’s memory.
Learn more at https://bit.ly/2QnI1D4.
