Tributes to the life of Bill Goree

Below are some of the thoughts and comments shared with us. 
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Dear Lauren,

The worrying news that your father Bill was fighting throat cancer reached me on Sunday. I was preparing to write him a letter of encouragement when the sad news of his death arrived. Bill and I were friends for over 30 years, since we bought our first ScT, and only last December following AGU we spent a grand weekend skiing from his cabin at Serene Lakes. Who would have thought that would be the last time I saw him.

It is a terrible loss for you, for Lynn, Dana, Charlie,and the rest of your family. Words cannot express adequately my sympathy; I will miss Bill greatly and grieve with you over his death. Bill also belonged to the worldwide 'family' of the paleomagnetic community, and you can be sure that his passing will sadden all who knew, admired and liked him. He was a fine gentleman, and always so modest about the great contributions he has made that now enable scientific measurements that 30 years ago were quite impracticable. In recognition of this, a few years ago Bill was nominated for AGU's Flinn award, unfortunately successfully, no doubt because of the small 'weight' of our GP section in the AGU framework. A further nomination of Bill, this time for the GP Gilbert award, was submitted just this past weekend. I wish he could have known how highly his colleagues esteemed him. We will all miss him.

With sympathy and condolences over your loss,
Best regards
Bill Lowrie

Prof. William Lowrie
Institute of Geophysics
Zurich, Switzerland

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Dear Lauren,
It's hard to understand two bad news within two days. The day before yesterday I received your message about Bill's illness and now I have to realize that he lost his fight against this terrible disease. On Monday
I wrote a mail to Bill to wish him all the best and force for his struggle. In vain as I have to accept now. Fourteen years ago I met Bill and Charlie first in Einbeck to install our new system. We spent a couple of days together and after the work was done I was able to show them the Harz Mountains and some parts of the former German Democratic Republic.

When my son was born one year later we have got a parcel from him with a trouser and a sweat shirt for Simon. We were deep impressed about his friendship throughout the following years. My family and I will keep Bill in our minds. Please accept our sincere condolences to you and your family.

With kind regards
Christian

Dr. Christian Rolf
Leiter Dienstbereich Grubenhagen
Seismik und Potenzialverfahren (S1)
GGA-Institut Hannover
Dienstbereich Grubenhagen
OT Rotenkirchen
37574 Einbeck

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Dear Lauren,

Tim and I heard of your father's death through David Evans and wanted to send thoughts and prayers in your direction. The career paths we're following sure would be different if not for your father! We fondly remember the enthusiasm he had and the wonderful personal attention he never shied away from giving to each lab and machine.

Joe Kirschvink is currently in the field in Australia, but I know he would want to pass on his condolences also.

Best wishes to you and your family.

Sincerely,
Theresa Raub

Dep't of Geology & Geophysics
Yale University
New Haven CT

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Dear Bill,
I learned about this very sad news only now, because I have been sick myself. Death of Bill Goree deeply touches all friends of the 2G company. I will always remeber Him in our lab in Warsaw, installing the first SQUID in the Eastern Europe. He was in Warsaw together with Lynn at that time. I am very sorry for Her and the family - I know very well how they feel because my husband died of cancer too, 7 yera ago.
My best regards to the Goree Family and all 2G people - Magdalena Hofmokl

Institute of Geophysics
Polish Academy of Sciences
Warsaw, Poland

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Dear Bill and Lauren,

I was sad to hear of Bill's passing away. I'm sure, however, that he made excellent plans for 2G's future. Bill made a big contribution to "palaeomagnetism" and he has ensured that it remains a valuable tool in many areas of geophysics.

With best wishes,

Ian.

Ian Snowball (Docent/Associate Professor)
GeoBiosphere Science Centre
Department of Geology - Quaternary Sciences
Lund University
Lund, Sweden

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Dear Lauren,

I have just learn of the dreadful news of your father’s death. I would like to transmit you my most sincere sympathy in these difficult moments.

I have never personally met your father, but as every member of our magnetic community I have been fully aware of his presence reaching out well beyond his physical occurrence, adn it will prevail. One of the highlights of the installation of one his magnetometers here at Vigo, was the opportunity to interact with a person of whom I have heard so much. It will not happen that way now, and I am very sad about that.

With my most sincere regards
Daniel Rey

Dpto. Geociencias Marinas
Universidad de Vigo
Vigo, Spain

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Dear Lauren,

I've only just heard the sad news and wanted to convey my deepest condolences to the entire family at this time of great loss. Bill was a wonderful supporter of our research community. It is absolutely no exaggeration to say that progress in our field would not have been the same without 2G magnetometers. His genuineness and warmth also made him a friend rather than the man who makes magnetometers. He will be missed by all of us.

Best wishes, Andrew

Prof. Andrew P. Roberts
Head, School of Ocean and Earth Science
University of Southampton
National Oceanography Centre
Southampton, U.K.

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Dear Lauren, dear Bill's family and 2G staff,

I simply have no word to say, I will miss Bill's trips to our lab here in Rome, his style, his calm.
And I would like to recall that I have a permanent position, here at INGV, most of all for all the things that I learnt from Bill, for all the suggestions that he gave whenever there was a problem on the cryo system, and that, whenever I go to the lab, there are two instruments that represent Bill's heritage.

I'm sure that 2G will go on without Bill; he was surely able to teach to all the staff all the necessary things to proceed.

My best regards.
Aldo

Aldo Winkler
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
Rome, Italy

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Dear Lauren,

I just heard the sad news and am very sorry for your loss. Your father was an exceptional man whose combined genius and warmth will be missed by many. We at BGC always enjoyed his keen wit and lively humor at our annual joint AGU party which has become a virtual institution in the paleomagnetic community over the past twelve years. It won't be the same without him.

I am on travel in Ireland and won't be able to attend the Celebration, but please know that I will be with you in spirit.

With heartfelt condolences,

Paul Renne
Berkeley Geochronology Center
Berkeley, California

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Lauren,

I just learned with sadness the news while doing field work in the West…. Please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of your father.

Bill was an outstanding man, always willing to spend time with colleagues and friends. Not to mention his contribution to the field of paleomagnetism due to the technology that most of us use on a regular basis nowadays.

As the days pass, may you continue to feel comforted by the love and support of family and friends.

All the best,
Josep M. Pares

University of Michigan
Geological Sciences
Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Dear Lauren:

Yes, in fact, I heard the sad news about your father. It si very difficult for me to express in a foreing lenguage my feels.I know to him from 13 years ago. I feel that he is a very warm person, (in present because the matter disappear but the person remain live in our heart) and I always remeber our dinner in San Francisco.I think that our relationship was beyond a client. I appreciate very much to your father and will be a big consolation for you and your family follow with his bussiness.
Sorry with my bad English where I cannot to say the things that I really feel.
Thanks
Carlos

Dr. Carlos A. Vasquez
Físico especialista en Geociencias
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Dear Lauren and Lynn,

It has been an enormous shock for us to read your mail yesterday when we came back home after a few days off. We still have not realized that we have lost such a wonderful friend and colleague.

Lauren, the first time we met him with you, to really discuss about our first 2G magnetometer was around 1987, in Rome. You were with him, very patiently waiting for our discussions on the development of the first high resolution pass trough magnetometer to end, to be able to get out into town and visit some places with your father. Maybe you remember that. Since then, we can only recall a very continuous creative exchange of ideas, friendship, wonderful moments and lots of humor in all these 20 years ! We still have in mind the very enjoyable evening we had in San Francisco when Bill and you, Lynn, invited us for such a nice dinner with Mike Fuller in your "jazz" restaurant.

We are so sad. We really did not realize that something was wrong with his health. The last message we got from him was in mid-June, and we were very far from guessing he was so ill. He was a very modest, delightful and charming man. We were really looking forward having him here in Gif in this fall, for the installation of the new He-free system, of which he was so proud. We'll miss him so deeply.
We have special thoughts for all your family and especially for you two. Be sure that we participate to your grief.
Lauren and Daniel, we have no doubt "that William S. Goree Inc. Will continue to provide the community with state of art equipment". But, as you will greatly miss the guidance of your father, we will greatly and deeply miss this wonderful man who has so much contributed to the development of our laboratory.

Carlo and Catherine

Carlo Laj  and Catherine Kisse
Le Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et l'Environnement (LSCE),
Gif-sur-Yvette, France

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Lauren:

I was very saddened to hear the news about Bill. Bill was a real rarity amongst the science community. He never failed to assist others and he always did it in the most friendly manner, even when he was explaining things that were undoubtedly trivial to him but way over the rest of our heads. He truly changed a field of science with his innovations, ability, and personality.
All of us in paleomagnetism will miss him.

Regards and Condolences,

Gary Acton
University of California, Davis
Department of Geology

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July 27, 2007

Dear Lauren,

It is with great sadness that I received the news of your father's death. I wish you and your family my sincere condolences.

Best regards and courage...

Sincerely,

Guillaume

Guillaume St-Onge, PhD
Professeur/Professor
Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER)
Université du Québec à Rimouski
Rimouski, Québec, Canada

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Lauren my sympathy on learning about the passing of your father after I returned from a field visit in Namibia today.  I can only wish you and the company all the best for the future.
Regards
Nic Beukes

Prof. NJ Beukes
Department of Geology
Auckland Park Campus
University of Johannesburg
Auckland Park, South Africa

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Dear Lauren,

I've been traveling in Australia and have not had access to email for the past ten days. Irina and I are deeply saddened by the news of Bill's passing. In addition to being an innovative and creative scientist, he was a wonderful person and someone with whom I always enjoyed talking, both professionally and socially. Our hearts go out to you, Lynn, your immediate family and everyone else at 2G Enterprises. I think everyone who knew Bill will honor and cherish his memory for many years to come, and I hope that thought provides a small measure of comfort to you. I truly regret that I will not be able to attend the celebration of his life.

Best regards,
-Ken and Irina

Kenneth L. Verosub
Distinguished Professor
Department of Geology
University of California, Davis

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Dear Laureen,

It was an enormous shock when we found your message yesterday. As Jean-Pierre told Bill early this month, we are in China for a 4 weeks trip. We are both extremely affected and spent these two days thinking of Bill and all of you.

We would like to express you all our love and tell you that we already miss Bill so much. At the moment, we would like to be with you and your mother to share your sadness. Bill was extremely bright and smart and he had a unique expertise and professional competence. However and more important to our eyes, he was so much appreciated for his great generosity and wonderful attention to each person. Bill was loved all over the world by his numerous friends. You know how much Bill counted for us. In Paris, the death of our friend will be a major lost in our everyday life. He was an example for both of us and we deeply loved him.
Could you please tell Lynn how much we love her, and that we deeply share your sadness. Although not being physically present on Sunday, be sure that our thoughts will go to all of you.

Jean-Pierre, Laure and Iris Valet.

Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
Paris, France

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Dear Lauren,

On my return to Florida this weekend, I heard the very sad news about Bill. He was a great friend. Our friendship began over dinner on Lake Zurich in 1977. It's hard to imagine a fall AGU meeting without his presence. We in the paleomagnetic community, and myself in particular, owe Bill a tremendous debt of gratitude for his help and guidance over the last 35 years. He revolutionized our science through technical innovations that allowed us to make more and better quality measurements. As I sit in Williamson Hall at the University of Florida, in the same building where Bill worked on his PhD thesis in the 1960s, I am acutely aware of this loss on both personal and professional levels. My thoughts are with you.

Sincerely, Jim Channell

Department of Geological Sciences
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, USA

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Dear Lauren,
It was with such sadness that I read your email about Bill. He was a true and dear friend to us all in the pmag world - so much more than just the inventor, designer and guru of cryogenic magnetometers. When he came to install my cryo in 1996 was when I really got to know him and we had such a nice visit. We had a lovely dinner with Bill and you mom that was just delightful. He always was so helpful and patient (I am NOT an equipment person!) and so willing to answer stupid questions, and explain things in simple language. But more than that he was a friend, always interested in what we were doing, how my family was, as well as how my cryo was doing!
I know he left the company in good hands, and with excellent people for us to work with, but he will be sorely missed.
My condolences to you and all your family,
Laurie

Dr. Laurie Brown
Department of Geosciences
Morrill Science Center
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
U.S.A.

 

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