[AZ-Observing] Re: Fwd: Tom Johnson RIP
- From: "Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy)" <mrgalaxy@xxxxxxxx>
- To: geneluca@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, haclist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:20:31 GMT
Benson, AZ 85602
hm ph: 520-586-2244 Hi Gene, Thanks for the message. I'm very sorry to hear of
Tom's passing. I recall meeting and talking to him a once or twice at the RTMC.
It seems like he flew his private airplane into Big Bear Airport to give his
talk to the attendees. He will certainly be remembered as one of the biggest
influences on amateur astronomy. Unfortunately, he made his telescopes so good
and so inexpensively that it negatively impacted the amateur telescope making
(ATM) faction of the hobby, but hopefully it encouraged the innovators in the
hobby to do him one better.
Clear skies,
Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy)
---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Gene A. Lucas" <geneluca@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Earl Wilson - Gmail <zearl.email@xxxxxxxxx>, Ernie Williams
<ernierw@xxxxxxxxx>, "Wayne P. Johnson" <MrGalaxy@xxxxxxxx>
Subject: Fwd: Tom Johnson RIP
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:34:50 -0700
Just got this memo from Bob Piekiel in NY (author of Celestron - The Early
Years).
Gene Lucas
-------- Original Message --------
Subject:Tom Johnson RIP Date:Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:14:31 -0700 (PDT) From:Robert
Piekiel <piekielrl@xxxxxxxxx> Reply-To:Robert Piekiel <piekielrl@xxxxxxxxx>
HI All, I am sorry to inform everyone that Celestron founder Tom Johnson passed
away suddenly this morning. His wife Marcia called me a little while ago and
told me. SHe said that she spoke to him on the phone early at about 7:30 and he
was his usual chipper self (Tom was living in a nursing home, and Marcia had
sold their mountain home and was living nearby to him). They were making plans
for the day. AT 9:30 she was informed that his kidneys had completely shut down
and that he was being taken to the hospital, where he died shortly.Tom did more
to popularize amateur astronomy in the 2oth century than probably any other
man, with his development of the commercial SCT and Celestron.I am saddened as
his passing, but glad I got to know him over the years through my work when
writing Celestron The Early Years. Best, Bob Piekiel
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