The Leroy M. Hair Memorial Tribute Gift, established by Patricia P. Hair, helps support vital research on neurodegenerative diseases carried out by HudsonAlpha’s Memory & Mobility Program

By Lillie Mermoud

When Leroy “Lee” McCurry Hair, a beloved husband and father, passed away from a form of Parkinson’s disease, his wife Patricia knew she had to do something to prevent future generations from suffering from the same disease.

Patricia designated a generous donation from her estate to HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology to fund the Leroy M. Hair Memorial Tribute Gift, which was established following her passing earlier this year. The fund supports the Institute’s Memory & Mobility Program, a research program focused on neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS, and dementia.

To Lee, the sky was the limit. Literally. He had an adventurous spirit and a passion for flying, leading him to work as an engineer in the aerospace industry and to get his pilot’s license to fly small private planes. Lee’s sense of adventure led him to travel to every continent, often accompanied by Patricia and their three sons.

When Lee was in his mid-sixties, the family started noticing changes in his cognitive and physical abilities. He was eventually diagnosed with a form of Parkinson’s disease, which progressed slowly over the next ten years. As a tight-knit family, Lee’s decline greatly affected the family emotionally and physically.

“My father was always the guy who could do everything and knew everything, and then one day, he couldn’t,” said Brad Hair, Patricia and Lee’s second son. “My father’s illness was extremely difficult for him and our family. Knowing who my father was and what he was capable of his whole life, it was heartbreaking to see what the disease had taken away from him.”

Patricia and Leroy “Lee” Hair

Patricia worked tirelessly to care for Lee at their home until his passing on New Year’s Eve in 2008. After his death, she was determined to do everything she could to prevent her sons and grandchildren from experiencing such a devastating disease. 

As the retired city planner for the City of Huntsville, Patricia was deeply involved in the community. She became a passionate supporter of HudsonAlpha after learning about the Institute’s genomic research in neurodegenerative diseases, giving generously of her time and resources throughout her life.

“I’m amazed at everything my mother did for HudsonAlpha,” said Brad. “She was driven to make a difference knowing that even if her donations couldn’t provide help for my father, they could someday for her sons, her grandchildren, and generations to come. She was always putting others first.”

Patricia ensured that both Lee’s memory and her drive to make a healthier future would persist by establishing theLeroy M. Hair Memorial Tribute Gift through a planned gift. The funds directly support the vital research HudsonAlpha does to identify new possible treatments, improve diagnostics, and better understand diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, and dementia.

“TheLeroy M. Hair Memorial Tribute Gift provides critically needed resources to continue making advances in our work on neurodegenerative diseases,” said Nick Cochran, PhD, Faculty Investigator. “These diseases are extremely complex, and there are no known cures or effective treatments for them today. By using the power of genomics to study the genetic underpinnings of these diseases, we have a unique ability to make meaningful discoveries that can improve how we diagnose and treat patients.”

“For my mother to have established such a tribute gift in memory of my father is something I am extremely proud of,” said Brad. “One of the things I am hopeful for is that this is a legacy that spawns something bigger than all of us. Little things can turn into big things through the ripple effect. I am excited for HudsonAlpha to carry on my parents’ memory through such meaningful research.”

As a nonprofit organization, HudsonAlpha relies on philanthropic support to support the Memory & Mobility Program’s vital research. If you would like to make a gift to the Memory & Mobility Program in memory of Pat and Leroy Hair, please click here.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can support the Memory & Mobility Program or other research areas at HudsonAlpha through a planned gift, please contact Jeff Moore, Director of Major and Planned Giving, at jemoore@hudsonalpha.org.