The Passing of a Friend!

[Swadian Hardcore]

I know I had confrontations with him over intercity buses, but he is still a great railfan. RIP.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Very sorry to hear of Patrick's passing. We met him for the first time in St Louis at AU Gathering 2010 and enjoyed the conversations and his great sense of humor. Our heartfelt condolences to Alice and Patrick's family. He will be greatly missed by our AU family.

 

[rrdude]

Whooz always had a way of keeping some us "in line", without ever being rude or condescending.

Great photographer. Great railfan. Great guy. I liked him the first minute I met him in Boston.

Way to go Patrick, way to ride the rails right up to yhe last! Everytime I see a fez, I think of Patrick.

 

[bobnjulie]

So sorry to hear. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Dan O]

Never met him but relied on him for information on Metrolink and other Southern California transportation information. Sorry to hear of his passing and condolences to his many friends and family.

Dan

 

[saxman]

Oh no! I just read this on Facebook.

Patrick and I had become good friends over the past few years, from the very first gathering in Chicago to meeting him twice during my USA Rail Tours 2009 and 2010. Not to mention every other gathering as well. I remember the first time meeting him, we somehow lost Patrick while riding the L, due to a last minute change. Then we caught up with him and he got out the print out of the itinerary and jokingly said he was just following it!

During my USA Rail Tour 2009, Patrick met me in LAX and rode down to San Diego with me on the Surfliner. He knew every siding and wye on that line. He was nice enough to use his hotel points to book us a room for the night. We rode a few trolleys and had an excellent dinner at an Indian place in the Gas Lamp District. I'll never forget standing on the opposite side of the Sante Fe Depot taking picture, when Amtrak employees questioned our intentions and said we could NOT stand there. But after boarding our Surfliner again, Patrick was able to hitch a ride in my room on the Coast Starlight from LAX to his home station of Oxnard. I continued north bound.

During my 2010 trip, we pretty much did the same jaunt to SAN and toured the USS Midway. He had to leave the same afternoon, but gave me a Fez. Hopefully I can find that Fez!

Patrick. You will be missed!

 

[vwalton]

So sorry to hear this sad news. While I never met Patrick, I always enjoyed his posts, trip reports, and photos. My sincere condolences to Alice and family.

 

[Ryan]

Just saw this on Facebook too, what a shame. Patrick was one of the "regulars" here waaaay, back when I joined up here. His trip reports were always a hoot to read, and as a fellow photo-dude, appreciated his telling of his interaction with Special Agent He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

I only got to meet him briefly once, but he'll absolutely be missed.

 

[RailFanLNK]

It's hard to type with tears in your eyes. Patrick and I shared the love of trains but even a bigger love (to me anyone) was music. Patrick was in one of my favorite punk rock bands "The Angry Samoans". He had seen a post or two from me about music and trains and he messaged me and asked if I had heard of that band in the late '70's. I told him, "yes and I had one of their albums". When he shared that he was in the band for a period and toured with them, we instantly connected. AU is like AA, where we all come from so many walks of life, generally we wouldn't all "mix" but the love of trains (alcohol) makes us friends for life. Patrick, I'm going to miss you, Alice...in life it isn't what you become, it is what you overcome. RIP my friend!

 

[Everydaymatters]

I am just stunned. I knew about his struggles for the past couple of years, but he was always a survivor and I thought he would survive this. I am very sorry. Alice, I'll be sending you and email.

 

[oldtimer]

I wish to send my condolences to Patrick's family and to Alice. I had the pleasure to meet Patrick just a few times and thought he was a great person. He will be in my thoughts and prayers. RIP Patrick, and as someone previously state every time I see a fez he will be remembered.

 

[Ryan]

Speaking of the Fez, any other Whovians here? Watched the episode with the Pandorica this afternoon - one of the smaller plot points in the episode involves the Doctor wearing a Fez - immediately thought of Patrick and chuckled to myself, completely unaware of what was transpiring at about the same time on the other coast.

Funny how things work out like that sometimes.

 

[jebr]

My condolences to Alice and the rest of Patrick's family. I enjoyed his posts across the forum, and it is sad to see him pass. May he rest in peace.

 

[Alice]

Wow, thanks everybody for your kind words and sentiments. I'll be printing these pages for Patrick's mother when I go back down next week, so she'll have them, too. She (and I) have few photos of Patrick, and the ones you have posted show that great smile he had through everything right up to the end.

 

[tp49]

Wow, tragic news. My condolences to Alice and to Patrick's family.

A few years ago now, Patrick and Alice came through Sacramento on one of their many travels together. After a rough thruway bus trip we met up and had dinner and the thing I remember most was Alice racing down K Street at breakneck speed with Patrick and I at least a block behind her. When we caught up to her at the restaurant she made fun of us for being so slow. I've never been called slow in my life. We both cracked up. I enjoyed that dinner. Thinking about that made me smile just now. Patrick had a wit and sense of humor very much like mine. I was looking forward to seeing him at the gathering in October. He is missed.

 

[the_traveler]

Speaking of the Fez, any other Whovians here? Watched the episode with the Pandorica this afternoon - one of the smaller plot points in the episode involves the Doctor wearing a Fez - immediately thought of Patrick and chuckled to myself

I was thinking of the same thing, especially when the Doctor said "... fezzes are cool ...".

 

[Railroad Bill]

I found some photos from 2010 in St Louis that you might remember. Patrick was a happy camper that day..

 

[CHamilton]

I saw the news yesterday, and am still at a loss for words. I had the good fortune to meet Patrick at the Seattle Gathering, and a couple of times since. As I sit here in New Orleans in the midst of taking the long way back from the east coast to the northwest, I will miss his friendship, his silly wordplay, his wonderful pictures, and his unbounded enthusiasm for anything rail-related. His passing makes me want to work even harder to ensure a future full of trains!

 

[the_traveler]

A true railfan to the end. Patrick rode off into the sunset on A-day 2014!

 

[Shelzp]

It took my breath away when I saw this news. I never met him in person but always looked for his posts because they were so clever. Sad to hear about this!

 

[amamba]

I am so sorry to hear this.

 

[rtabern]

I met Patrick at the first gathering in Chicago back in 2007... I remember him getting lost on the CTA and then meeting up with the group back before we all headed over to Gioradno's.

We wrote each other a lot... and did some railfanning trips together over the years. In 2010, I did a 6 day loop trip from Chicago to Milwaukee (via Los Angeles and Portland). Patrick met me in Los Angeles on #14 and rode with me in the Pacific Parlour Car as far as Oxnard... pointing out all of the cool sites along the way. He knew I did Trails & Rails in Chicago and put on such an excellent narration about every inch of track from LAUPT to Oxnard. I remember him telling the stories of all the westerns that were shot in the rocky area going over Santa Susanna Pass. He also had some good insight into the Metrolink accident that happened the year before.

My prayers are with Patrick and Alice's families... Patrick --- enjoy riding that big Great Dome in the sky my friend...

 

[reefgeek]

Very sorry to hear this. What a great guy! He shall be missed.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

R.I.P. Patrick.

I hope you are having a wonderful time riding the PPC in the sky.

My sympathies to Alice, his family, and his many friends. <_<

 

[Old MM]

Damn it. I did not know he was ill. Not knowing him personally....you'd never know it from his writings, so full of wit, humor and spirit, and his graceful, striking photography, that he generously shared with all of us. Of all the posters I've seen in this forum, he is far and away the one I admired the most. I only hope that his wife and family have some measure of comfort knowing of the legacy he has given to thousands of us who eagerly followed each new installment of his adventures.

Team Whooz forever