Death of Gerry Crompton
,
Honorary Member of the Association
The board of Casa Alianza Switzerland, its president, and its members are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Gerry Crompton, an honorary member, on December 26, 2022.
Gerry joined Casa Alianza Switzerland in 2000 and has provided tremendous support to the association ever since.
From 2002 to 2017, he served on the Casa Alianza Board, whose role is to advise Casa Alianza’s management team and to promote the association among donors.
A passionate golfer, he organized the first golf tournament to benefit Casa Alianza in 2006, which would later become a must-attend event for our members and contribute to the organization’s growth.
Gerry was wholeheartedly committed, until the very end of his life, to providing a better future for street children in Central America.
Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and loved ones.
The Association’s Board
Tribute paid at the Ordinary General Assembly of Casa Alianza Switzerland on April 27, 2023
Gerry was supposed to be here tonight, as he has always been for over 20 years, but fate decided otherwise. And we mourn him. As I try to pay tribute to him, one word comes to mind: Gerry was—and still is—yes, Gerry was and remains, above all, a presence—a radiant and benevolent presence. Never one for grand speeches, I never once heard Gerry voice any malicious criticism; he was always full of kindness and empathy. He was present and filled the room with his bright, generous gaze. And his presence made us better people; it brought us peace. It’s hard to describe this mysterious presence accurately. So, to borrow one of Gerry’s favorite expressions, I like to say, “You see what I mean,” and I’m sure you’ll understand me.
I neither wish nor am able to recount Gerry’s life here, but I do want to highlight his essential contribution to the life of Casa Alianza. Since the association’s founding, there have been presidents, committees, and executive directors, and each and every one has played their part. But throughout this entire period, Gerry was present, active, loyal, offering advice and encouragement—a wise and caring figure who was always ready to get involved. He thus left his mark on the entire history of Casa Alianza; he was, in large part, its very soul. And his presence will forever shape the history of Casa Alianza, even after his passing.
But Gerry also knew how to be a man of action—discreet and efficient. Casa Alianza owes him more than fifteen golf outings, which he organized by rolling up his sleeves, not hesitating to fetch the oxygen tanks to inflate the balloons decorating the hall, nor did he hesitate to open his address book to invite his friends to participate. During the same period—and allow me to mention this—he was also, like me, a member of the Literary Society and served as its discreet yet effective president during the COVID years, saving the institution, through his initiatives, from collapse due to its closure for many long months.
This tribute would not be complete if I did not mention the support of his family—Brigitte, his children, and his grandchildren—to whom he was so devoted. For their sake, and before asking you to stand and observe a minute of silence, I would like to share with them this beautiful thought from a philosopher whom I particularly admire and who offers each of us a different perspective on infinity. I quote Vladimir Jankélévitch: “He who has been can no longer fail to have been; henceforth, this mysterious and profoundly obscure fact is his provision for eternity.”
Jérome Joliat, honorary member
