For the past few years, I have heard of his suffering from prostatic cancer, which might be the cause, I am afraid. Whenever he told me about it, he had mentioned of the multiple biopsies, which were always "not so bad" as he reported to me. He kidded the doctor as a quack. And I have not taken it so serious.
I have known him since 1960s. In 1980s, we have become close friends making a lot of QSOs. Always on 40m at night here and early morning in San Jose. I have had a chance to visit him and his wife Mariko halfway up the Mt. Hamilton in San Jose back in 1988. A great place where we could have the grand view of the Bay area through the living room window. He and Mariko have been quite kind and generous to me whenever I visited there. The last visit was with my wife on the way back from FOC gathering in Seattle in 2012. He kindly took us for a drive around the woods in the Peninsula and Santa Cruz. Later, I noticed he might had the sight problem at that time.
One of the most memorable episodes with him was that he had attended Carmel Bach Festival every summer in '90s through, possibly, '00s. I was astonished to hear that the conductor had been Helmut Rilling. He was the conductor leading Stuttgart Bach Ensemble in Tokyo in '70s, whose performance of St. Mathews Passion was the very first and unforgettable experience of that music for me. Bob told me he had had a chance to have dinner with him and let me know of that meeting in vividness. Rilling seemed to be an open-hearted person once off the podium as Bob told me. Ever since I knew he had listened to Rilling, I sure felt even closer to Bob.
He used to tell me he was on a fisher ship as a radio officer while he was a student at Stanford. It seemed to be an interesting experience for him. With such a work, he has graduated the university by himself. He was confident in himself having paved the way of life by himself. That has, seemingly, made him a firm Libertarian. He hated beaurocrats as well as socialists. I was a kind of socialist side in certain aspect and had to listen to his hatred for socialists from time to time. In the end, I always enjoyed what he cursed against them in a stream. We have shared problem awareness on the beaurocracy.
From round the start of millennium, it has become scarce seeing him on the air. For my Christmas card to him last year, his wife has replied to me on behalf of him, which told there was always something to overcome. He might already be ill at that time. I should have sent a letter asking how he was doing. And I have known of his silent key last night.
The very last QSO with him was in Dec. 2021. It was the 1252nd for us.
RIP, Bob.
Bob and Mariko in 1988
Well said, Shin-san. It was always fun to exchange political observations with Bob. Sometimes we agreed, sometimes we disagreed, but always in good spirit. He was what we call a "good soul" and I'll miss him sorely. -- Rick N6XI
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rick. I could imagine you and Bob intensely discussing about politics etc. He was a man of good will however he might fiercely attacking others. We have lost a great ham as well as a friend.
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