Friday, February 11, 2022
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Dear Ann,
I learned of this late (as with most things) and wanted to reach out. It was always so wonderful to run into you and Dick at musical venues, ugly lamp parties and other events. He touched my heart when he brought his mandolin and we jammed in my room at Hearthside Nursing Home following my cycle crash in 2007. I passed my doctoral comps with him in 1999, He tried dropping hints that I should get it completed because he was planning to retire. When I reconstituted my committee after the crash, it was Dick, Ron Bettig and Jeannie Hall, but my head injury scrubbed off a bit of mental horsepower in the executive function department, and it became impossible to finish. Then Jeannie passed, then Ron - and I think I ran into you and Dick at State Theatre shortly after that. So I was really sad to see his obit several months after he passed, and still sad because it's taken me a few more months to connect. He meant alot to me, and we really clicked on journalism, political science, speech comm, art, advocacy, motorcycles, music, etc., etc. He was a kindred spirit, great mentor and a real Mensch! You were so lucky to spend so much quality time with him over the years, and I can only assume, based on how much I miss him, that your sense of loss is so much more profound. And perhaps no comfort, but such bittersweet memories you must have of what a dazzling critter he was (and still is). I sure appreciate the contributions he made to my academic and spiritual life, and I thank you, because you had so much to do with the way he continued to blossom. Please be well and know our love. - John and Tracey, Huntingdon, PA JohnD@psu.edu
