Yesterday
morning, my co-advisor past away at 64 years old. Three months ago, I was
making smart ass jokes and aggravating him in his office. He was my first class
of my PhD program. He was the first person to force me to read a 26 page
article to discuss “for fun.” He was my first mentor and advisor that made an impact.
He was my protector, my cheerleader, my guide, and sometimes my guidance
counselor. He knew the good, the bad, and the ugly. He got a salute from me as
I left the office each day. He was a Marine in Vietnam who never talked about
his time in service or his honors and awards but had a badass tattoo hidden
under his sleeve. I was the only one who somehow was able to call him out for
it and he wasn’t mad. He was one of the top herpetologists in the world
boasting over 220 of the most cited publications on salamanders. My favorite
quote from him “we don’t cite the literature, we write the literature.” He was
a wonderful dessert baker, coffee and donut connoisseur, a loving husband, and
a doting father. He will be forever missed.
"Fair
Winds and Following Seas"
Psalm
56:8
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