John Lovas passed away yesterday. I was one of those people who visited his weblog regularly and was concerned that the recent quiet there was uncharacteristic of John. John was outgoing and outspoken, a sociable and generous colleague, scholar, mentor, and friend. Like many, I’m sure, I’m startled by death’s swift pace: one colleague had been working to edit a collection of writing in John’s honor for his retirement, and I’m saddened to know that John won’t see it. John’s weblog posts, his mentoring and activism, his presence at conferences and in our disciplinary literature, his comments here and elsewhere: I’ll sorely miss them all.
But if you go back through John’s archives, as I did this afternoon, you realize that the things John had to say — the insights he so often offered — still stand, in conversations that we’re still having.
I’ll stop with that, because my eyes are misting up.
Thanks, Mike. This is a touching memorial.
Pingback:CultureCat
I don’t know what to say.
I was wondering whether John was well, or just delightfully busy. What a blow.
I am so stunned that I can’t write about it yet–I had the sense that he was very sick, but not near death.
I’m stunned as well. Am home visiting a sick friend this weekend because I too have been flabbergasted that life moves so quickly. This is such sad news and I can’t believe I was just dining with the two of you a few months ago.
Mike, think about posting this or something else in tribute to John on the Deanza page. You can get the link from Community College English.
Planned on it, Joanna. Just trying to get somethind decent together.