This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Kevin Mack, MD, MS.
We hope to honor Kevin by making this a living memorial. Please use this as a "hub" to share your stories and tributes. Though you need to formally register to add anything, there is no advertising or spamming associated with registering. You may leave brief tributes below, or longer stories on the "stories tab."
A viewing was held on Tuesday evening, 6pm on July 19th, 2011 at St. Agnes Catholic Church on 1025 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco CA 94117. The mass was held on Wednesday morning, 10am on July 20th, also at St. Agnes.
A memorial service was held at 5:00 PM on Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Cole Hall, UCSF Parnassus Campus. It was simulcast to the SFGH Cafeteria and to UC Berkeley University Hall, room 150. Here is a link to the entire UCSF-based ceremony:
http://lecture.ucsf.edu/ETS/Viewer/?peid=7f8c0b04878842858a8452d33c0b0e111d
If you would like to download a copy of this event, email Amin (Amin.Azzam@ucsf.edu) and he will arrange for you to get access to it.
Kevin is buried in the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, at 1500 Mission Road; Colma, CA 94014.
In lieu of flowers, donations to benefit his husband and children may be made to the Kevin Mack, MD Memorial Fund through Wells Fargo Bank. Donations can be:
1) mailed c/o Amin Azzam to 348 51st Street #C; Oakland, CA 94609; or
2) made in person at any Wells Fargo Branch. If you attempt to donate at a bank branch and the teller has troubles finding the account, encourage them to click on the "confidential tab" to locate the memorial fund.
Finally, Natalie Bybee (a dear close personal family friend) would like volunteers willing to create video clips of remembrances of Kevin so she can compile them as stories for his children. If you are interested in offering a video remebrance, contact her directly at nataliebybee@yahoo.com. More details on how you can contribute have now been posted under the "stories" tab of this site.
And on the eve of the 1 year anniversary of Kevin's death, here is an email from the UCSF psychiatry department chair:
Dear Department of Psychiatry Colleagues,
A year ago, on July 14, 2011, we lost our colleague Dr. Kevin Mack. I wanted to reach out to everyone in the department, in parallel with the school to medical students and faculty colleagues, and also in parallel with the UCSF- UCB Joint Medical Program to its community, as I know that many of us were deeply touched by Kevin. He brought laughter, warmth, support, and intellectual engagement to so many of us. I invite you to spend a special moment this weekend to remember him.
The School of Medicine announces the establishment of the Kevin Mack LGBT Champion Scholarship. This scholarship will honor Kevin’s open and unwavering commitment to the professional development and emotional support of all medical students, and especially those of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender identity. The scholarship will be awarded to one student each year in recognition of important contributions during medical school to the principles of non-discrimination and human rights that Kevin exemplified so strongly in word and deed. Details of the award and the application process will be distributed soon.
The UC Berkeley - UCSF Joint Medical Program honors Kevin's commitment and dedication to innovation in medical education with the creation of the Kevin Mack Medical Education Leadership Support Fund. It supports the advancement and promotion of innovative educational efforts with an annual faculty support award. The fund will be formally established very soon.
At a department level, we instituted at this year’s Psychiatry Faculty Education Retreat the Annual Kevin Mack Life Lessons. Bestowed upon the session that best embodies Kevin’s spirit of life, loving and learning, this year the inaugural honored session was “Teaching Critical Thinking” led by David Elkin and Gilbert Villela.
Kevin will also be remembered by a special SFGH Psychiatry Grand Rounds session each Fall in his honor. The annual event will celebrate Kevin's playfulness, creativity, inspiration, teaching and mentoring.
Also, with colleagues I am planning a special activity for department members and alums to remember Kevin each year at the Fall national meeting of the Association of Academic Psychiatry, an organization that was near and dear to Kevin.
Tributes
Leave a tributeOur hearts were broken five years ago--it was a dreadful day. Many of us are still not mended and are still suffering from your loss in different ways.
Five years ago today you may have left us as an earthly being, but you sure haven't left the hearts and minds of those who loved you, of those you loved, and of those you had such a tremendous impact on in your 52 years.
You are alive everywhere! Your spirit lives on all around us--through Naoki, Aki and Nobu, your extended family and friends and your students and collegues... you left us a huge legacy of love.
We still so miss your smile & laughter, your happy heart, your intellect, your love, your music, your stories, your passion for life and medicine and helping people and saving lives --those less fortunate and those suffering. You inspired so many people.
We were honored and lucky to know you, Kevin Allen Mack.
We continue to be proud to be your Auntie and Uncle, and we continue to celebrate you -- often. At milestone anniversaries like today however, many of us will be in deep reflection of you--remembering all of what you meant to us. We will recognize your contributions and the impacts you have made and the love you put into everything. We will listen to your voice in our head, your music in our ears, and, we will look at pictures of your smiling eyes. We will feel in our hearts the pleasures you still give us through these memories.
Thank you!
My dear Kevin, you were a sterling character of a man and I know I am a better person today because of you!
Forever Missed!!
Love, Auntie Laurie and Uncle Dick
Your light shines on...love love love you , Babycakes! oxoxox
I have good news for you- my late stage cancer is gone! I am cured of cancer, and it will never come back. Kevin, why me? I can't help but wonder if, just maybe, Kevin, you helped me out.
I love you, miss you, and know you are happy, and live on in two worlds.
Sandie
So wish you were still here, so much to share with you. I love you so much.
You brought so much into this world and left so much behind as well. My experience at Kalamazoo College was brightened because you were part of it. I loved you dearly....Maureen
Nora Volkow gave an awesome grand rounds in the department this week. I attended it from home sitting on my favorite couch, using My access remote system. It's a wonderful innovation that was once on our wish lists as teachers.
Louai
You sure are missed and loved around here, you know...
Leave a Tribute
Please be patient.
Loving you still!
Kevin, your light continues to shine In so many lives! I am grateful for the time we had on this earth together. You indeed will be forever missed...
Eight years now. Hard to believe. Kevin, I remember you so clearly, your compassion and your eagerness to learn and teach. Haven't seen Naoki or the kids in a long time, but I remember them fondly and expect that they will all continue to grow.
I also remember your wicked wit, and I miss that as much as your kindness.
Two Years
Yes, today is the two –year marker of the loss of our dear Kevin.
One of Kevin’s favorite books was “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz, and he lived by those four agreements: 1) Be impeccable with your word 2) Don’t take anything personally 3) Don’t make assumptions and 4) Always do your best.
He fought hard for marriage equality and would have been so heartened by the recent Supreme Court decisions.
Many of you contributed to the Japanese maple tree that we planted at San Francisco General Hospital in Kevin’s honor in the Comfort Garden in front of building 90 (immediately in front of the ramp to the right front side of the door) and to the bench in front of it. If you haven’t been by there for awhile, I urge to stop and take a look at the growth and strength of the tree in “Kevin’s Corner.” It is a living symbol of the life he shared with so many of us, and continues to be a source of inspiration and hope.