Jonathan Alan Botelho ’63 died on April 14, 1999, in Richmond, California.

(The following was provided by Thomas H. Hoisington ’62)

Jonathan A. Botelho ’63

Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts October 7, 1942, he graduated from Fairhaven High School in 1959. After graduating from Bowdoin, Jonathan initially pursued an academic career in French literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Northern Illinois University. A second career in hemophilia-related advocacy opened for him subsequently in the San Francisco area, a career that included service to the National Hemophilia Foundation of which he was president from 1994 to 1997. The passage which follows is taken from an obituary for Jonathan which appeared in the July 1999 issue of Community Alert, the Foundation’s newsletter which Jonathan helped found and on whose editorial board he served.

Jonathan first became involved with the Northern California chapter of NHF in 1982 where he encountered what he termed the “incredible richness and diversity” of the bleeding disorders community. Jonathan was dedicated to uniting people of differing backgrounds towards the common goals of improved treatments for bleeding disorders, AIDS, and hepatitis. He often spoke about education as the key to building an effective community and felt strongly that with a united front anything could be accomplished. . . . Jonathan’s commitment to the bleeding disorders community was legendary.