Michael Rudrich

[rdonnay]

I am very saddened to inform eXpress++ users of the death of Michael Rudrich.
I learned the news today from Tom Liehr.

Michael was a friend of both Tom and myself and many others in the eXpress++ community.
He planned to fly out to Boise, ID USA this spring, with Tom, to attend the spring eXpress++ devcon.
A short while before the devcon he notified us that he had fallen down a stairs and suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.
We all thought that he would be ok.
I even communicated with him in the past few days via email.

I had hoped that we would all get together again this November when I fly out to Europe for the devcon, but alas, Michael has succumbed to his injuries.

I first met Michael in 1999 shortly after I had introduced eXpress++ 1.0.
He flew to Boise for training and we became friends almost immediately.
Michael was a generous, high-spirited man who loved good food, good wine and Bavarian Hefeweizen beer.
He also loved the town of Weiden, Bavaria, Germany and only drove BMW cars.

I visited him in his home town 3 times. I stayed in a hotel that was 650 years old. I even brought back a painting of Weiden and had it framed.
My visits to Weiden and my times with Michael were some of the most memorable times of my life.

He was so generous with his time when I wanted to meet with eXpress++ users in Germany.
He drove me hundreds of miles to different towns and even drove me to Austria to pick up a plane to Milano, Italy for an Xbase++ devcon.

He drove Tom Liehr, Jim Graham, Klaus Bischoff and myself to Hintertux, Austria for a few days of skiing in the Austrian Alps before driving us all to The Netherlands for another Xbase++ Devcon.

He drove Bobby Drakos and myself to Hamburg (twice) just to spend a few hours in that beautiful city.
I tried to repay the favor the last time he came to the U.S. and so I drove him from Boise to San Francisco.
That was the last time I saw him in the U.S.
The last time I saw him in Germany was at his home in Weiden right after the European Devcon 2 years ago.

Michael will be missed very much by many people.

[Tom]

Many thanks for your words, Roger.

I had my last phone talk to Michael one week ago. He was at home, feeling quite okay, but still not really good. We planned to meet in september and maybe gather in november in the Netherlands.

I'm so very sad, I can't tell. Michael was a good friend, and I wish we had met more often. Six years ago, I made a trip to Italy with him, since it was his dream to move there sometimes in the nearer future. We were talking about life dreams and that there's really nothing for sure.

He's gone. I can't believe it.

Tom

[unixkd]

What a great irreparable loss !!!

May his soul rest in perfect peace

Joe

[Cliff Wiernik]

I met Michael also a few times and like others offered to pick me up from the airport for the Netherlands for the Devcon. I had also looked forward to meeting him again at Roger's May Devcon. He will be truly missed for his contributions to many people in many different ways.

[carry]

Thank you Roger for your kind words - and thanks to Tom for calling me today.

I am still in shock and unable to express my feelings - but i am also angry and sad that i have missed so many opportunities to meet Michael and spend time with him. Now it´s too late

Roger is right : I haven´t met many other people in my life who were so generous, high-spirited and always positive - no matter which problems he was in.

I will always remember Michael as my first guide into the xBase world - but but much much more for the parties and fun we had together - including the famous trip Roger was talking about.

My prayers go to him and his friends and family - you will not be forgotten, Michael !

Klaus Bischoff

[RDalzell]

Our heart breaks knowing that such a wonderful man is gone.

We spent an evening while in Berlin at an Italian restaurant at which he spoke Italian with the restaurant owner, Michael said that he loved the language.

My wife and I are in tears to learn of his passing.

Debbie & Rick

[RDalzell]

Bobby & Michael

[rdonnay]

including the famous trip Roger was talking about

Klaus -

I realized later that actually it was you who did all the driving.
Now that I recall, we needed a bigger car than Michael's BMW to carry all the luggage and skis.
When Tom was out here in Boise this spring, we talked about getting us all together again.
I'm so sad that it cannot happen now.

Roger

[TWolfe]

News of Michael’s death has saddened me deeply. Michael was a good person and always ready to go out
of his way to be friendly. He will be deeply missed. Four years ago, my wife and I visited Germany and
Michael met our boat on the Rhine River and drove us to Weiden. His famous black BMW made the 130 mile
trip in about an hour.

In an email last week with the subject line: ‘Almost back…’, Michael said “Everybody is used to how he
functions every day.. Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things ...”
How prophetic these words now seem. The loss of my friend Michael drives home the ‘worth of things’ like
friendships.

Michael finished his email with:
“Take care and: - always watch your steps... - Michael”

RIP Michael, you will be missed.
Terry Wolfe

[Tom]

The funeral will be tomorrow (August 7) at 10.45 a.m. german time.