James E. McIlvain

I "met" Jim through our Yale class's email list, and then met him in person at his lovely home in Los Altos. Jim's courage and good humor in facing his cancer, and fighting it, were exemplary. He was a true gentleman, and I will miss his gracious presence on this earth.

I live in Santa Cruz and was a college classmate of Jim's, but we had never met until I learned that he had cancer. I went to visit him, mostly out of a sense that it was "the right thing to do," but after about 15 minutes I realized how much I had been missing by not meeting him sooner. He was warm, brave, very funny, amazingly smart and accomplished, and a pleasure to spend time with. On a future visit I got to play croquet on his lawn. I can only imagine how much he is missed by those...

Jim was a friend and roommate in college. He was always very thoughtful and considerate. He was very smart and very comfortable with himself. He did not need to be loud to make his point. Over the years he was always very generous to Yale and I think he loved his years there. I have not spoken to him in a couple of years and am very sorry to learn of his death. A very classy guy who will be missed. God bless him and his many friends.
Dick Lawler

The McIlvain family has gained from having Jim in their lives and so has many other people, including me.
Jim will be missed and I am one of many that will miss his caring, his emails, his phone calls, his humor, and mostly for me his fabulous mind. Mac, Kimble, Ashley, Lindsey and Whitney you are loved always by JIm.

I had not seen Jim since 1967, but he made a strong and lasting impression on me. He was a good person and a good friend.

Jim and I took a few classes together in college, had been out of touch for 40 years, and then had a final lunch in San Francisco just a couple of weeks ago. He lived an exemplary life, faced death courageously, and will be sorely missed by all of us who were privileged to know him.

Jim came through to me as a gentle and intelligent and brave soul even though I met him only as far as I know by phone in the last month. I am very sad. His family can be very proud of him. Roger Ley, yc 67

Jim was a true gentleman. He was a valued member of the Yale Class of 1967. He shared some of his experiences with his final illness with us on our listserve. I greatly admired his equanimity, grace and intelligence as he dealt with personal tragedy. He will be sorely missed. I extend my condolences to his family.
George M. Lazarus, MD Yale '67

Thank you, Jim, for setting an amazing example of courage, generosity and deeply thoughtful humanity. From a member of the Yale Class of 1967