I'm sad to say that I just learned today of the passing of Rich Pagano, a rising star in the world of segmented turnings. Rich died at Albany Medical Center, in New York, on October 12. He was a member of the Adirondack Woodturners Association, (and other groups) and it was my pleasure to have known him for the past three years.
I only knew Rich from the club, but you'd think we had been friends for years and years, so warm and genuine was he when he would greet me at a meeting or if I saw him out somewhere. He had a great sense of humor, was, as you might expect, more than eager to share all he knew of woodturning, and humble to a fault. He was never too busy to offer a word of praise or encouragement to a rank beginner, and I count it a privelege to have numbered him among my woodturning friends.
I'll miss the pleasure of seeing Rich's latest segmented wonder, and his off-handed humiliity at its perfection; I'll miss his insight on panel discussions and critiques; and most of all I'll miss his easy laughter at my stupid jokes at club meetings.
So long, Rich, you will be missed by all who knew you.
-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <
September 11, 2001 - Never Forget