Those of you visiting the forum through the "Welcome" screen today will have noticed a slight change to that screen in the form of a dedication. It is with great sadness that I pass on the news that one of the surround world's biggest contributors and greatest ambassadors, SndInMyHd, passed away on November 24th following a struggle with cancer in several parts of his body. SndInMyHd also utilized the monikers FastTrack and, on this forum, Sndy. Most importantly, though, he was our friend, Ken Lindquist.
I do not think I can find the words to describe what an important part Ken played in the development of this little world we call "stereo-to-surround." From its infancy in places like Doom9 and the original incarnation of the dtsac3 forum, Ken was there. He was never the technical expert, but acted as a motivator, uniter, and friendly voice for all who struggled to get the hang of the initially intimidating work we do. He served as moderator on several forums, and was set to play an integral part in the planning of this forum prior to his beginning his battle with cancer. It was not uncommon for one of us, on the older forums, to offer help to a newbie user, only to find out that Ken was already on a first-name basis with that person. Neither was it uncommon to find out that, behind the scenes, Ken was helping someone out through a difficult personal issue. Ken was that kind of presence here, and just that kind of person. Those moments when he would become upset, or get caught up in the squabbles of the dysfunctional family the internet audiophile world can sometimes be, it just never seemed right to see him caught up in flame wars, etc. It wasn't him.
Ken was a lover of all music, new and old. He was a devout Beatles and, especially, Paul McCartney fan. There's a group of surround enthusiasts out there called the "Maccateers," and he was their proud leader. He also was open to, and found great enjoyment in, all sorts of music, from newer rock bands to, even, hip-hop. He loved to create surround and took great pride in hearing about his good work from others.
There was also more to Ken, though. He was a proud son, father, and he served his country for many years as a member of the United States Armed Forces.
We are deeply saddened by his loss, and miss him tremendously. I still cannot imagine what a surround world looks like without Ken in it.
We are taking two steps here at SBU to honor Ken's life and what he means to us. As mentioned previously, we have dedicated this forum to his memory. We will also be setting up a page at the American Cancer Society (ACS) webpage for members to donate in his honor in the next several days. I can think of no greater tribute to the bonds this man made around the world than for people to give back to those currently suffering, or who may suffer in the future. More than 1,500 people are expected to die of some form of cancer in the United States in 2009, according to ACS.
We have set up a page in Ken's honor on the American Cancer Society website where you can donate on his behalf. The URL is: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/Event ... fr_id=9910
If you are outside the U.S., would like to make a donation towards cancer research in your own country, and cannot find out how, PM me and I will do my best to help you find the right place.
We miss you, buddy,
River161
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