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| Gerard Van der Leun, 1945-2023 |
The world bids adieu to Gerard after a sudden and brief battle with cancer.
He was a perennially kind and thoughtful soul, and thoroughgoing gentleman, who occasionally commented here, and kindly linked our own thoughts and essays more times than we deserved at his American Digest blog, and which has lately informed we, his legion readers and admirers, of his final struggle, and his death yesterday in the wee hours of the morning.
Like all, we are saddened at his passing and the stilling of his voice on the web, and the world is poorer for his passing, but we are all richer for having known him and partaken of his thoughts and musings. We wish nothing but solace and comfort to his family and friends in the days of their grief at his passing. We shall miss him.
Blogs don't last forever, and eventually get memory-holed as if they never were. Exactly as we've seen enough times to know whereof we speak. If you can spare some time to go visit the gardens of his mind while it yet remains, it will be time well spent.
“Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
ReplyDeleteAppreciate this so much. Like your place, his was a "stop" dozens of times a day, hoping for a new post and savoring each one. Thanks for being here!!!
ReplyDeleteGhostsniper dl'd the blog.
ReplyDeleteOne of the commenters a day or two ago stated that he downloaded every article on the blog: all 5 GB of it. Took ~36 hours of continuous downloading, but it was successful, and I assume he'll make it available in some form in the future.
ReplyDeleteNice tribute. Thanks, Aesop.
ReplyDeleteGvdL was a treasure. Have already blogged "condolences" thete.
ReplyDeleteYour comments of the transitory nature of blogs reminds me of Remus ( miss him so) and Kevin at Weaponsman ( where we "met".
Vaya com Dios GvdL! See you on the other side
Boat Guy
Thank you Aesop. This is heartbreaking. Gerard was one of my touchstones. His writings helped me feel I was on the right path. A good man gone too soon. Godspeed Gerard. May God bless and keep you. And give comfort and solace to you family, friends, and loved ones. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteJeffersonian
A tragedy in two aspects, one in our loss of him and two in that we didn't lose someone from the John Kerry, George Soros camp instead.
ReplyDeleteI had a boss that once said, "The written word is how minds talk to each other through time." His final posts were moving.
ReplyDeleteThe new neo had a relationship with him for the last 18 years and will be publishing a collection of his essays at his request.
ReplyDeleteShe is also doing updates at his blog.
https://www.thenewneo.com/2023/01/28/what-to-write/
Carroll Lefon (Neptunus Lex), Kevin O'Brien (Weapons Man), GVDL...
ReplyDeleteWe are diminished.