This article is from the New Zealand FAQ, by Phil Stuart-Jones and Lin Nah with numerous contributions by others.
Phil Stuart-Jones volunteered to start the soc.culture.new-zealand FAQ
in 1994. Phil has been a regular participant of the newsgroup and
did a splendid job in starting and maintaining the FAQ.
It was a shock and great loss to all when he died suddenly on 13
August 1997.
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From: geoff@southern.co.nz (Geoff McCaughan)
Subject: Phil Stuart-Jones dies suddenly, was Re: The soc.culture.new-zealand FA
Q (part 1 of 6)
Date: 14 Aug 1997 23:22:07 GMT
I'm sure all the s.c.n-z readers will be as shocked as I was to hear that
Phil Stuart-Jones died on Wednesday night. The death notice in The Press
today states that he died "as a result of a tragic accident at home".
The funeral will be private, but Friends are invited to a gathering to
celebrate Phil's life att the Friends Meeting House, 72 Cresswell Avenue, on
Saturday August 23, 2:15 pm.
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From: phys218@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (Lyndon Watson)
Subject: Phil
Date: 25 Aug 97 13:08:41 +1200
Phil Stuart-Jones was remembered at a meeting at the Friends' Meeting
House in Christchurch last Saturday. A number of people spoke about
Phil and revealed aspects of his character that were only hinted at in
the kind of limited interaction that we have here, but I can appreciate
even better than I did before how lucky we were to have a person such as
Phil create our FAQ file for us. He had impressed and was loved by an
extraordinary range of people, and I can only regret not having the time
to get to know him better than our postings and email and occasional
meetings and telephone conversations allowed.
It has occurred to me that some people who never knew Phil might
appreciate a picture of him. Of course, people such as Pete and Geoff
and Noeline knew him much longer and better than I did, but even first
impressions can be interesting.
Like most here, I "met" Phil first as a name behind postings in the
newsgroup. I don't know about you, but I tend to form pictures of
people based on nothing more than their names - I'm almost always wildly
wrong, of course, but it's an entertainment.... To me the name Phil
Stuart-Jones, together with the enormous amount of computer time that
Phil was obviously spending early on with the FAQ, suggested a small,
indoorsy sort of person, perhaps the paradigm computer nerd, definitely
with glasses, perhaps not exactly a wide circle of friends. Then I met
him on the occasion of Lin's first South Island holiday.... Imagine a
sort of human spider, over six feet tall, all arms and legs, blond hair
down to his shoulders, beard, bare feet, immensely friendly and
welcoming to everyone and interested in absolutely eveything. We stayed
talking very late on that first occasion; the scnz Pignic earlier this
year ended up at Phil's place and went on to the wee small hours.
We've all heard of Phil's interest in rock-climbing, and you could tell
just be looking at him that he could probably climb a slick rock face
using nothing but his eyebrows and toenails for grip. From the many
stories told at the meeting on Saturday it was obvious that he was a
true natural and a very good climber. What had never been mentioned
here was that he was a professional landscape designer with
qualifications from Canterbury and Lincoln Universities. Knowing Phil's
love of the southern mountains, I can just dream about what sort of
garden he might have designed for me, had I ever been in a position to
engage his services.
So many might-have-beens. So long, Phil, we're missing you.
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From: David Farrar <david@work.net.nz>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 14:32:35 +1200
Shit, shocked is definitely one of my reactions. And very sad. Despite
not having met Phil in real life I felt I knew him well through the
group and his passing saddens me deeply. Life can be so fragile.
Finding out's someones death through Usenet is a new experience for me
and not altoegther pleasant, but considering that is how I (and many
others) knew Phil, it is perhaps appropriate.
Farewell Phil, and thanks for everything. You will be missed.
David Farrar
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From: Tony Williams <tonyw@ledelec.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 10:02:38 +0100 (BST)
This is one of those times when you feel compelled to say
something, but with really nothing to say. As a long-distance
lurker on s.c.n-z, Phil's FAQ was probably one of the earliest
things I read on this group. He's one of those unsung heroes
on the 'net, using his spare time in various little support
activities that the rest of us take for granted. I had a real
sense of shock and sympathy on opening up and reading this post.
I also have to remark here that, although we don't actually
know people on the net in the normal social sense, their death
and sudden disappearance seems to affect you just as much. I
recently experienced it when an Email pal, Alex Knox of ChiChi,
died suddenly.
Could I suggest that a nice thing to do would be to let the FAQ run
as it is for the time being, perhaps with a tribute added at the front.
[Tony Williams, Ledbury, Herefordshire, UK.---Pagewidth=64-----]
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From: jmg24@cornell.edu (Jolisa Gracewood)
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 11:35:47 -0400
Tony Williams suggested:
> Could I suggest that a nice thing to do would be to let the FAQ run
> as it is for the time being, perhaps with a tribute added at the front.
Absolutely, let's do that. Like many of us here I'm virtually mourning
someone I never met in person, but it certainly feels like the real
thing. Perhaps dubbing the FAQ "Phil's FAQ" (or more formally, The
Phil Stuart-Jones Memorial FAQ) would be a good way to pay tribute to
his presence and work in this group?
Jolisa,
a long way from Chch, and feeling very sad for Phil's partner and family.
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From: B.Hamilton@irl.cri.nz (Bruce Hamilton)
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 12:38:59 +12
Bummer.
Today is a gloriously fine, bracing, winter day - and then
this post appeared. I never thanked him for all the hard
work he expended in producing and maintaining the
group's FAQ, which is a treasure.
In the vain hope that he finds an ISP up there ( he might
have difficulty - in a just world, most are due to head in
the opposite direction ).
" Thanks Phil for all your work, and your willingness to accept
the onerous task, which you completed superbly and without
complaint, and which is a wonderful legacy. Rest quietly."
Bruce Hamilton
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From: noeline@styx.southern.co.nz (Noeline McCaughan)
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 97 15:23:29 +1200
I have just had news of the sudden death of Phil. Stuart-Jones last
wednesday who as you all know was the compiler of the s.c.FAQ.
Phil and I had known each other for quite a few years and I know his
passing will be missed by a great many people in all walks of life. His
climbing exploits on vertical faces along the length of the Southern Alps
was renouned, not for nothing was he referred to as "Old velcro toes".
Those who only knew him through his postings here will also miss him,
his selfless work in compiling and up-dating the FAQ has been
appreciated by many.
Phil's funeral will be held on Saturday 23rd August. I will enquire as
to the time and about where to forward messages and post it here.
Noeline McCaughan.
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From: arachne@uci.edu.nospam (arachne)
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 16:11:37 GMT
Knowing how much Phil hated receiving extraneous email at home, I
don't want to send my condolences to his family that way. I hope that
if someone from ChCh is going to the funeral, they could perhaps print
out some of these messages and hand them on.
Phil was certainly an important member of this online community and
his hard work has been most appreciate - especially the good humour
with which he took comments and suggestions about the faq and the way
he seldom complained about the amount of work it was to maintain.
Thanks Phil.
mj
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From: lawry@maths.ox.ac.uk (James Lawry)
Date: 15 Aug 1997 20:42:54 GMT
arachne <arachne@uci.edu.nospam> wrote:
>Phil was certainly an important member of this online community and
>his hard work has been most appreciate - especially the good humour
>with which he took comments and suggestions about the faq and the way
>he seldom complained about the amount of work it was to maintain.
>
>Thanks Phil.
Hear hear. My deepest sympathies to his family, and his friends
everywhere.
James Lawry.
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From: Lyndon Watson <L.Watson@csc.canterbury.ac.nz> (Lyndon Watson)
Date: 18 Aug 97 09:31:35 +1200
arachne@uci.edu.nospam (arachne) writes:
> Knowing how much Phil hated receiving extraneous email at home, I
> don't want to send my condolences to his family that way. I hope that
> if someone from ChCh is going to the funeral, they could perhaps print
> out some of these messages and hand them on.
I intend to go to the Friends meeting this Saturday, and I would be glad
to do that if anyone wishes. Given news propagation delays and the
generally flaky state of the news system here at the moment, it would be
safest to email me.
> Phil was certainly an important member of this online community and
> his hard work has been most appreciate - especially the good humour
> with which he took comments and suggestions about the faq and the way
> he seldom complained about the amount of work it was to maintain.
To which should be added our appreciation of his (and Val's) generosity
in making their house available to the rest of scnz whenever we wanted
somewhere to meet. Among the other things that stand to Phil's credit
is the saving of the 1997 Pigout.
> Thanks Phil.
Lyndon Watson L.Watson@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
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From: cne@efn.org ( Charles N. Eggen)
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 1997 18:39:47 GMT
I would second the suggestion of "The Phil Stuart-Jones Memorial FAQ".
I have been stunned regarding our loss, Since I had only been in
contact with him via e-mail, I could not consider him a close friend,
but I certainly will miss his input and energy. My condolences to all
of you who are experiencing a significant hole in your lives now.
Charles Norman Eggen
"How often are we to die before we go quite off this stage?
In every friend we lose a part of ourselves,
and the best part."
Alexander Pope, 5 Dec. 1732
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From: nrowe@gwdu19.gwdg.de (Nicola Rowe )
Date: 20 Aug 1997 21:44:42 GMT
I agree - a memorial is a good idea.
I have pointed many Germans curious about NZ to the FAQ,
and appreciate the enormous effort that must have gone into maintaining
it. My sincere condolences to Phil's family and friends.
Nicola
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