Charlot D. Malin
May 13, 1968 - March 13, 2017
The sudden loss of San Francisco philanthropist, wife and mother Charlot Diskerud Malin, 48, reverberates from Norway to Sub-Saharan Africa and San Francisco to New York. Her years were far too few, but her impact was substantial. It will be felt for generations to come in arts education and design, as well as in her efforts to improve the lives of others in her community and beyond.
Born in Norway, Charlot moved to San Francisco in the early 1990s. In addition to making a mark in the community as a philanthropist and an advocate of the arts, she played a brilliant role as mother to 14-yearold twins Benjamin and Sebastian, as well as wife, best friend, business partner and soul mate of Gregory Malin. She was the beloved daughter of Turid and Tore Diskerud and sister of Paal Diskerud.
As COO and Director of Design of Troon Pacific, Charlot, with her husband Greg, have developed numerous high-performance, environmentally-sustainable residences in the Bay Area. Together, they began a groundbreaking initiative to infuse wellness into their home designs.
Charlot loved the opera, a passion seeded at seven-years-old when her father’s aunt and her cousin sang in AIDA at the Oslo Opera. That love of the opera later inspired Charlot to dedicate great energy to music and opera youth education programs. Charlot held a board position and served as president of the San Francisco Opera Guild from 2014-2016. San Francisco Opera Guild President Jane Mudge said, “Charlot was an incredible champion of our Guild Education programs, tireless fundraiser, fearless leader and devoted mother and wife. We will each miss the grace and goodness that she brought to the Guild and to our larger community.”
“Her passing leaves a huge void in the San Francisco cultural community,” commented Neal Benezra, Director of SFMOMA. Charlot was involved with SFMOMA for nearly 20 years as chair of the Curators’ Circle and ex-officio Trustee from 2012-2015. Her connection to Norway helped to support the Museum’s upcoming exhibition on Edvard Munch.
Charlot also led the West Coast effort of the Voss Foundation, an organization that brings fresh water and sanitation to Sub-Saharan Africa. “Charlot was an exceptional role model and ambassador for Voss Foundation,” according to Jan Eystein Saeboe, CFO of Voss Water and a member of Voss Foundation’s Board of Directors. Invoking the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Eystein Saeboe said, “She laughed wholeheartedly, won the respect of intelligent people and left the world a bit better, whether by healthy children or community water points; ‘to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!’ She will be missed.”
In a moving tribute, the San Francisco Zoo, which Charlot enthusiastically supported, recently dedicated its flamingo exhibit to her memory. “Charlot leaves us with a sense of grace, elegance and natural beauty that only Mother Nature can dare to replicate,” said Tanya Peterson, Executive Director of the Zoo. “The beautiful flamingo most closely embodies Charlot’s exquisite qualities.”
Charlot passed away on March 13, 2017 in San Francisco. Even on her last day, Charlot was an inspiration. She hosted a luncheon for the Voss Foundation, though her sudden illness did not allow her to attend. As her own breath expired, she was breathing new life into people and projects, helping others to rise and shine.
A public celebration of Charlot’s life will be held on Wednesday, April 5 at 2:00 p.m. at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the “Charlot D. Malin San Francisco Opera Guild Education Fund” or the “Charlot D. Malin Commemorative Fund” at the Voss Foundation:
San Francisco Opera Guild: 301 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102 https://sfopera.com/CharlotMalinFund
The Voss Foundation: http://www.vossfoundation.org/charlot-d-malin-commemorative-fund/.