A few weeks back I attended a funeral service for one of our clients. For 40 years I have been to services for family members. This one impacted me in a different way.

Bert was a technology friend, a person whom I had only grown to know through nearly 15 years of supporting his networks. I knew little of his personal side, but had always been amazed by his incredible ability to deal with every network or communication issue that arose in a respectful and professional way. No matter how deep the crisis, he understood that we were trying our best and he appreciated it.

In fact, Bert understood that as people we would have to deal with the trauma of systems failing, and business processes stopping without seeking blame, and concentrating on solutions. He did not try to force action, he requested it. He did not try to expand problems, he tried to solve them.

As the years together grew, I began to wonder what special make up he had that allowed him to make us love him so much. Bert understood what the speed of change was doing to us all, and he had a special way of not letting it get the best of him. He made our job easy, and he renewed our faith in the future, where we might see us controlling our high tech world rather than being controlled by it.

Bert, I want to thank you for being such a great friend, for making us realize that not every day has to be a nerve wracking technology slugfest. You surely made many of us smile, even when confronting some difficult events. It s only been a few weeks, and we miss you already. I will always think of you during our trying moments, like “Did we really lose 20 years of data because our backup failed?  or “We have lost both our primary and backup Internet, and have no ETA on getting it up.  Yes, Bert, your memory will help us through those moments. You taught us well. Be at peace.

 - Larry