Whenever something profound occurs in my world it is now normal to wait for some time to respond. The delay allows time to consider the event more clearly. When Mike posted the message from Bart's son earlier this week the news was a shock. Bart & I were friends but beyond that we were also distant family. Kay discovered that years ago. At one point we spoke at least weekly but that pace had fallen off as we both dealt with growing issues elsewhere in our lives. Bart had numerous health issues and there had been some "near" events in the past, but his determination to continue and to be productive was always there. There were thoughts I wanted to share right away but finding the right words demanded some contemplation.
Along with my card to the family (address provided to anyone sending sending me a PM) there was a letter. Not wanting to share those words until the family received their copy meant delaying my comments herein. The following is an excerpt from that letter.
"John (and Kay) have had a special place in my heart in the several years since we first became acquainted. The many telcons and exchanges of research data gave Bart and I opportunities to discuss all kinds of things, but mostly things closest to him. This was especially true of his early work with his graphics depicting projectiles, fuses, etc. He was most generous in sharing information with me and I treasure his several CD’s that are now even more meaningful to me. His digital imaging work grew to be masterful, and will remain as much a tribute to his many many contributions to our community of interest as does his early groundbreaking work with radiograph imaging. This is all the more impressive when considering his vision issues. "
Bart's willingness to share his work speaks volumes for the man. Selfless and generous to a fault, his interest was only to contribute to the world around us.
RIP Cuz. You will be missed!