[Leica] Leica] That Is Sad News About Martin

[buzz.hausner at verizon.net (Buzz Hausner)]

I am so, so sorry to hear this news...

I will always remember roistering with Martin at B.D.'s and Sarah's.  After
one such party I offered to drive him home to his rental circa MIT in
Cambridge. Martin had been done in by the beverages served by B.D., I think
it was 10 year-old Talisker, and we spent a full hour driving between Kendal
Square and Porter, looking for his home. I have never been so delightfully
lost and so well entertained in the process as we spent the hour just
chatting. On another occasion he drove me home in the long boat which was a
truly horrifying experience along our narrow New England lanes.

I will miss Martin, especially his delight in good company, good food, and
marvelous , elliptical conversation.

Buzz Hausner


On 10/2/09 12:36 PM, "Kyle Cassidy" <kcassidy at asc.upenn.edu> wrote:

> It is with great sadness and disbelief that I have learned of the passing 
> of
> Lugger Martin Howard who died suddenly while on a business trip to Sau 
> Paulo,
> Brazil. There are no further details on the circumstances at this time.
> 
> Many of you who have been on the LUG for a while remember Martin's 
> exquisite
> photo narrative of buying a gigantic mid 70's Lincoln Continental, which he
> dubbed "Eric The Red" (or "the longboat") and then driving across America 
> in
> it visiting Leica owners. Martin, I believe, hailed from England, but 
> lived in
> Sweden and, it seems, called the world his home. He was a smiling fixture 
> at
> many lug gatherings.
> 
> His travel diary is still on line: http://www.tamigori.com/travel/etr.html
> 
> I remember specifically Martin writing a "bot" (short for roBOT) for the 
> Leica
> IRC chat channel where he was a frequent participant 
> (lugirc.availabledari.com
> #leica) His bot, dubbed "Leica Bob" pretended to be a very obnoxious Leica
> owner. It would react to words that people posted ("Noctilux" and "Tilly"
> being two that come to mind) and retort with ... fabulous hilarity and 
> witty
> insults -- leaving many an unsuspecting Leica Owner baffled as to just who
> "Leica Bob" was and why he hated Nikon's so much. I actually remember 
> laughing
> so hard it was difficult to breathe sometimes when Leica Bob would pipe up
> from nowhere and join a conversation.
> 
> If you have any photos of Martin, it would be nice to gather them up and 
> send
> them to his family. Also, I recommend that remembrances & anecdotes be 
> posted
> here and can be forwarded along at a later date. He was much loved and I'm
> sure it will be of some consolation to his family to know just how much.
> 
> http://www.pbase.com/kididdoc/image/28496219
> 
> Kyle