Quiet genius

Jeffrey Murphy on October 23 says:

"I worked with Rick from around 1995 until 1999, roughly, while I was studying physics at YSU. My memories overflow with evenings bent over a work bench with Molex connectors and a soldering iron, or instruction on the proper use of a belt sander, or a shared laugh and conversation over a greasy Little Jimmy’s pizza. All these memories and the people in them have Rick as a locus. Much more than memories of classes and labs, the memories of the work and people of the planetarium stand out – and for good reason; I learned things from Rick that carried much further into my life, and the people and occasions surrounding those lessons carried on as well.


"Many specific memories stand out more than others. One in particular is when he helped bring in several bags of sand to make a vacationing professor’s office into a beach for his return. The setup was completed with a stereo set to play with a photo cell soldered onto the control board of the stereo so that when the light in the office was turned on “Hot! Hot! Hot!” blared from the speakers.


"I also remember his ingenuity; always finding other people’s throw-aways and making spectacular use of them, like taking discarded disposable cameras and creating strobes for the Halloween show. His little pickup truck’s bed always had something he found or came across that had some use somewhere. His was a quiet genius.


"I consider Rick to be a friend, a mentor, and a teacher. From the machine shop to the soldering iron and from the intricacies of low voltage electronics to the intricacies of enjoying our planet and universe, Rick taught by patient example and a playful love of life and work. I shall always remember Rick’s quiet zest for life and lament the abrupt abbreviation of it.


"Kurt Vonnegut was once asked why he thought we, meaning humans, were here. He answered that we are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is. I feel as if Rick knew this to be true, too. I’ll always be grateful for the role he played in my life, however short in the whole scheme of things."


A few months later Jeff remarks:
"Rick Pirko passed away suddenly at the young age of 56 last October. It was a shock to many, many people who turned out to memorialize Rick at a service in the Ward Beecher Planetarium. A blog was started at Blogspot, as well, for people to submit stories and remembrances of him. Great Big Space does a wonderful job of featuring Rick's passions for flying and photography and his constant drive to educate in the realm of science.

"I have already contributed to the blog last year, but it was a year ago this weekend (approximately) when I last saw Rick. Ambling through the Arts Festival on YSU's campus, we sat through a few shows and eventually caught up with Rick manning a telescope on the sidewalk. We chatted briefly. He was showing me the three-wheel dolly he made to easily transport the telescope and I tried to give him my contact information to try and get out to the Mahoning Valley Astronomy Club sometime, as my interests in amateur astronomy had been revived recently. I jotted down my email on a scrap of paper while he disappeared to do something (the Arts Festival was always pretty busy at the Planetarium, especially when it is hot or rainy) and I never saw him again.

"I can still feel his enthusiasm for creative and constructive ideas and his fervor for the wonders of the natural world and universe - all from a conversation that lasted less than 5 minutes. It'll be weird strolling through the physics department this weekend with no expectation of finding my old boss for a chat." July 10, 2009.