The nicest man in the universe left prematurely. Bob left on top of his game: very productive, well respected, with a family he cherished and with a family that loved him. No gradual decline, no fearful aging, no mobility decline - a man leaving as a bright shining star. An intellectual, a scholar, a pacifist, a healer surrounded by his books. A man whose softly gentle voice steadied his wife and whose tickles elicted the bubbling infectious giggles from the young one. My short years of knowing Bob were deep and satisfying; the feelings of people who have hung out or worked with this wonderful man for years boggle and outstrip my limits of imagination. It is for that very reason that www.ProfessorBob.org was started.
The beauty of a website of this type is that people can "visit" Bob anytime, anywhere in the world, when the need arises. When his daughter grows up, she will have many questions about Bob. The smile, the wry humor, the deep scientific insight, the insatiable learning drive, the diplomatic gentleness, the one liners, all of it will need refreshing and renewing as new concerns and experiences take hold of us. It is my hope that we can add to the site in a slow and steady way. In a month, in a year, in ten years, email something you remember that makes you smile. Especially with the plasticity of mind that stress brings to the young, we won't know if tickles, stories and accomplishments will be recalled at once or need reminding.
The modern world has many new miracles: things being in two places at the same time (quantum entanglement), matter disappearing from the observable universe (black holes). Bob was fascinated by the very large and very small. No doubt he is learning new things now that make our current knowledge look like child's play. Bob would want us to be positive, humorous, and happy - to hold those close we love. He would want us to take pleasure in the small things again after a period of recovering and reflecting. It might be during a commute, or waking up late on a Saturday morning. Whenever it is - no one is ever going to forget Bob Dickson.
For more information contact Dr. Jane Fall-Dickson
RETURN to the Bob Dickson Web Page