DABC statement on the passing of Pam Horton
It is with great sadness that all of us at DABC acknowledge the passing of our dear friend, mentor, longtime board member and Honourary Past Chair—Pam Horton. In addition to having served on our board of directors for close to thirty years, Pam was also the first executive director of DABC. Her work as a disability rights advocate spanned over five decades at the municipal, provincial and federal level. In addition to her decades of work with DABC, she was a founding member of both the North Shore Advisory Committee on Disability Issues and TransLink’s Access Transit Users’ Advisory Committee. She was also a past president of the North Shore Disability Resource Centre and a former board member of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. As a staunch advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, Pam was a member of the BC Institute Against Family Violence Steering Committee, the North Shore Coordinating Committee to End Violence Against Women in Relationships and Together Against Violence. In her final years, she turned much of her advocacy efforts to supporting seniors, serving on the City of North Vancouver Seniors Action Table and their Seniors Working Group. In the months prior to her death, she was also one of the founding board members of DABC’s national affiliate; Disability Alliance Canada.
Anyone who knew Pam will remember her for the kindness, wisdom, humour, generosity and compassion that she brought into any space. Her tireless advocacy, as well as her willingness to bravely speak out on important issues, however controversial, earned her the deep respect of so many people. We send our deepest condolences to everyone in the community who was touched by this remarkable woman during her lifetime. It was a life well-lived- full of purpose and remarkable service to others. Pam’s amazing legacy, as well as her vision of a truly accessible, inclusive and equal society for all inspires all of us at DABC to continue with the important work that needs to be done to make that vision into a reality.
– The DABC Board of Directors
