Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/07/20

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Subject: [Leica] New Gallery & A Story
From: bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Tue Jul 20 17:41:45 2004

A truly touching story - Equipment or no equipment, Rudy was lucky to
have you as a friend. And a nice set of photos, particularly
http://gallery.leica-users.org/Rudy/RK_08 and RK 09.

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Barry Hinderks
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 8:25 PM
To: lug@leica-users.org
Subject: [Leica] New Gallery & A Story


Greetings all,

I've been on the list a while now and thought that I should tell the
story of my Leica.

A good friend, Rudy Kirmshe, was a real Leica afficianado. He had used
them pre war as a kid and later added the M3 not all that long after he
emigrated to Canada. Over the years he collected and used the Leicas as
well as Contax, Hasselblad, Minox etc etc. I met Rudy not long after
moving to town about 12 years ago. The acquaintance grew into a
friendship. I respected his work and he respected mine (although not
shot with Leica). Rudy endured more hardships in his lifetime than
anyone should have yet he always seemed to maintain his grace and sense
of humor.

In the spring of 2003 Rudy was rushed into the emergencey ward and
ultimately terminal lung cancer was diagnosed - he was 73. Determined
not to let it get him down he managed to make the most of every day.
While he wasn't doing much picture taking he did accompany me on several
assignments here on Vancouver Island. As the cancer spread I had to rush
Rudy to hospital on several occasions. His wife had died of cancer 7
years earlier and it hadn't been pretty so he opted not to take either
radiation or chemo (the doctor thought they might buy him a few months
at best).

In January Rudy stunned me when he announced that since I couldn't
afford to go out and buy a Leica he was giving me his M6 and seven
lenses --- the condition being that I had to actually use the gear not
just collect it. He commented that he didn't have any family and that he
liked my work so I had to take the equipment. I agreed and started
shooting almost right away.

At the end of February I rushed Rudy into the emergency ward again. This
time, however, it was decided that he would enter the palliative unit. I
know that this was a relief to Rudy as he lived in the country by
himself and he did not like imposing on his friends (his words not mine
nor his other friends). Since I spent virtually every day with him over
the next 5 weeks he asked me to shoot his "adventures" and those of some
of the other folks in the unit. I have posted some of those shots at a
new gallery at : http://gallery.leica-users.org/Rudy

Rudy quietly passed away on April 6, 2004. The world lost a very fine
human being on that day.

It has taken some time to be able to scan and edit the shots.

Comments always welcome.
Barry H

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In reply to: Message from bkhinderks at shaw.ca (Barry Hinderks) ([Leica] New Gallery & A Story)