This morning, my heart is heavy with thoughts of my friend Eileen Algaze, who passed away Saturday night after a long battle with cancer. And even though I miss my friend, I’m heartened to know she left this mortal coil surrounded by her family and, with great courage, defied cancer to truly live each day with a smile on her face and joy in her heart.
Eileen arguably set the standard for excellence in technology public relations in Orange County. She helped Broadcom and Quest Software through their initial public offerings and also handled PR for Qualcomm and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UC-Irvine. She had a fantastic reputation for strategic communications, fairness with her peers, and earned the respect of the industry’s most influential journalists and analysts. A native of Brooklyn, she was a longtime Democrat in OC when the county was a deep hue of red.
Eileen was in great spirits at last year’s Truman dinner and seemed delighted with the sheer number of people who attended and how the party grew in OC.
I last saw her at the Re/Code Media Conference in Dana Point in February; she was having a great day and, during lunch, people asked her what she did.
“I’m in hospice,” she said. “I have stage 4 cancer.” And then she smiled. And it took a moment for it to sink in to others at the table. “But I’m here today and really enjoying this conference.”
The photo of Eileen above that leads this post captures her spirit perfectly. She’s cornered Re/Code’s Walt Mossberg, the former personal technology columnist at the Wall Street Journal, and she’s just a little animated. When she came back to where I was, I asked her, “What was that about?” “Oh nothing,” she said smiling. “Just catching up with Walt.” Followed by another grin.
In what would be our last conversation later that day, I told her I admired her for facing her disease and its outcome with such bravery and courage. I’m not sure I could do the same.
“Look where we are,” she said. “The ocean is beautiful. The sun is warm. The flowers are lovely. I think of my friends and my family. I know what’s coming and I’m at peace with it.”
When I think of Eileen, I won’t think of how she died or the disease that took her. I will think of how she lived. Requiescat in Pace my friend. You are missed.
Sorry to hear about her passing. I recall you pointing her out at a Truman Dinner we were at. She went out with, courage, dignity, and most important, with LIFE.
Eileen was one of a kind; I’m so happy she was a part of my life. She was a volunteer for a Laguna Beach campaign in November.
Thank you for capturing the essence of my mother so well.
Warmest regards,
Anastacia Armstrong
As Eileen’s daughter Anastacia remarked above, your thoughts so perfectly capture the essence of Eileen Algaze – a remarkable human being I had the good fortune to know and love. Thank you.
You captured Eileen beautifully, Dan. She touched so many of us. My connection with Eileen goes way back. She was a dear friend.
How beautifully said, Dan. That feisty, indomitable spirit will always be with us.
The service Saturday morning featured a video, starring Eileen, that had the crowd in tears or laughing. Her sense of humor never left her. I was touched her family used some of this piece for the memorial program.
Hi Dan,
I had heard about the video. I was unable to go to the event, so I’m hoping that the family has a link that they can share with those that could not attend. It sounds like Eileen was able to be there with everyone through the video which warmed my heart. Thanks again for this wonderful tribute to her spirit.
Linda
Linda, go to YouTube and search for Eilleen Algaze and Mother oh Mother and you can see the video they played and her the song her daughter wrote for her
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9w6m3GfmN4