[sac-forum] FW: Loss of a Member

 
All,

I received this message today. Please pass it on to anyone not on this list
who would want to know.

Rick Tejera 
President 
Editor SACnews
Saguaro Astronomy Club
Phoenix, Arizona
saguaroastro@xxxxxxx
www.saguaroastro.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Woods [mailto:Rick.Woods@xxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 6:04 AM
To: saguaroastro@xxxxxxx
Subject: Loss of a Member

Hi,

My name is Rick Woods, and I got your email address from one of your SACNews
letters. 
I'm writing you to let you know about the loss of one of your members, Earl
Timmerman. Earl passed away suddenly on Feb. 4th while out hiking.

Earl was an active member of the SAC many years ago, and had a couple of
Pierre Schwarr telescopes. During that time, he photographed the entire
Messier catalog the hard way: on film, hand-guiding his telescope. His album
was beautiful. But, time went on and he drifted out of the hobby for various
reasons.
We started working together at the State of Arizona in early 2001, and
quickly gravitated together when we discovered our mutual love of astronomy.
In 2003, I got a new telescope, and we started having a monthly observing
night at my house out in Black Canyon City. This prompted Earl to join the
SAC again. At first he was lugging his Pierre telescope out and fighting
with it, but after a little while of that, he broke down and bought himself
a nice go-to C11 which he really liked.
Our observing group grew to three regulars (Earl, myself, and our friend
Scott with his refractor), with the occasional large crowd of friends
showing up, making it a party. Earl was a walking encyclopedia on almost any
topic, and loved showing people the view in his scope while talking
extensively about the object being viewed. Everyone loved that about him.

Earl often spoke fondly of the SAC. More than once he mentioned AJ and what
a maniac observer he is. He had just turned 60 a couple of months ago, and
was looking forward to his retirement in a few years. There was no clue that
this was going to happen; he seemed the picture of health until being struck
down by a heart attack without warning.

Earl is sorely missed by everyone here at work, and by us, his observing
buddies. Several of us have pitched in and had a star named for him. I know
many people don't approve of this practice. Personally, I feel differently.
It's a gesture of love and respect for Earl from us to his widow Marilyn,
and seems appropriate to us. We're hanging a copy of the certificate in my
observatory up in BCC. 
I hope there are enough of you there at SAC who knew Earl that his loss will
be felt there as well. A very good man has left us, and the world is the
poorer for it. Godspeed, my friend.

If you make an announcement about Earl in your monthly newsletter, may I
request that you forward a copy to me at this email address, so I can share
it with his friends?
Thanks in advance, and take care.
- Rick Woods

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