Jeffrey David Given ’82
Jeffrey David Given ’82 died peacefully at his home in Lafayette, California, on July 9, 2021, surrounded by his family after a four-year battle with ALS. Jeff was raised in Westlake, Ohio, where he met his future wife, Geri, in the sixth grade. He graduated from Westlake High School, where he received its student-athlete award. At Dartmouth Jeff played quarterback on the freshman football team and majored in mathematics. He joined Bones Gate fraternity and continued playing intramural sports, including basketball, hockey, skiing, tennis, softball, volleyball, swimming, ping pong, and flag football. Jeff had a successful career in hospitality, working at various Marriott hotels from Boston to San Francisco. Classmate Bradford Brown recalled, “Jeff was the generous, funny, natural leader of our group of friends. Even in his final days he was still the same hysterical, amused, confident guy—such a hero.” Classmate Rich Lindahl added, “Jeff was the kind of guy you wanted to be around as much as possible: fun, smart, witty, loyal, competitive, insightful, and a great friend. In short, he was an awesome teammate on life’s journey.” Classmate Mark Zimmerman remembered “Jeff’s rare combination of flair and humility.” Jeff wanted to extend a special thank you to all classmates, coworkers, and other friends who sent messages of love and support during his illness. He is survived by his wife, sons, parents, sister, and many other relatives. Please consider a donation in Jeff’s memory to the ALS Association at www.als.org.
