Larry Kilgallen -- Sad News

Ken Robinson

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Mar 2, 2011, 6:38:29 PM3/2/11

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I received the following via another email list. This is all I know:

[quoting the other person]
Many on this list are used to posts from Larry Kilgallen. I am sorry to inform you that Larry Kilgallen passed away last night. He died in his sleep after
battling cancer for several months.
[end quote]

If I receive more information, I will post it.

Ken Robinson

Ken Fairfield

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Mar 2, 2011, 7:01:12 PM3/2/11

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On Mar 2, 3:38 pm, Ken Robinson <kenrb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I received the following via another email list. This is all I know:
>
> [quoting the other person]
> Many on this list are used to posts from Larry Kilgallen. I am sorry to inform you that Larry Kilgallen passed away last night. He died in his sleep after
> battling cancer for several months.
> [end quote]

Very, very sorry to hear that. Larry was extremely
knowledgeable and, as far as my experience goes,
kind hearted. As a cancer survivor, and also having
recently lost a colleague to that hated wasting
disease, my deep sympathy goes out to his friends
and family. Both a technical and human loss.

-Ken Fairfield

VAXman-

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Mar 2, 2011, 8:54:32 PM3/2/11

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A great loss indeed! I thought that Larry was looking rather thin at the
last few bootcamps; sadly, I now now my suspicions were true. I sorry to
hear that he had to suffer and pass on from this horrible disease.

Larry had a great way with words and he was very quick witted. I know he
held me in stitches at many meetings in the ZKOs. His knowledge and humor
will leave a void here and among the many lives he's touched over the years.

--
VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG

All your spirit rack abuses, come to haunt you back by day.
All your Byzantine excuses, given time, given you away.

JF Mezei

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Mar 2, 2011, 11:25:10 PM3/2/11

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Mr Kilgallen was always professional and helpfull on forums. His
positive presence on the internet will live on through Google's archives.

R.A.Omond

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Mar 3, 2011, 3:11:48 AM3/3/11

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That is truly awful news.

Larry was always one of my all-time heroes, even though
I've never met him in real life.

Sincere condolences to his family.

R.A.Omond

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Mar 3, 2011, 7:14:55 AM3/3/11

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I logged into Eisner today:

$ u/fu
OpenVMS User Processes at 3-MAR-2011 06:11:58.16
Total number of users = 8, number of processes = 12

Username Process Name PID Terminal
...
KILGALLEN KILGALLEN 0001CDE0 VTA1844: NTY6889:
KILGALLEN LJK 0001D5DC VTA1843: NTY6888:
...

Typical Larry.

Bob Gezelter

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Mar 3, 2011, 7:15:17 AM3/3/11

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Ken,

If you have means to forward this post to Larry's family, please feel
free to do so.

I knew Larry through his DECUS involvement for many years. He was the
epitome if a professional, knowledgeable and fair. We may not have
agreed on every technical issue, but his opinions were invariable well-
thought out and worth listening to.

My condolences to his family. Here in this professional community, his
presence, both personal and professional, will be sorely missed.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Geoff Bryant

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Mar 3, 2011, 7:45:00 AM3/3/11

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My condolences to Larry's family. I remember first meeting Larry
when he
was a consultant at my first job - many years ago. We met many
times
since at DECUS, bootcamps, etc. He will be missed.

Message has been deleted

DaveG

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Mar 3, 2011, 12:47:11 PM3/3/11

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While I didn't know Larry well, I did talk to him several times over
the years at various DECUS events. He was a good guy. He was a
smart
guy. Liked to laugh.

VAXman-

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Mar 5, 2011, 8:41:25 AM3/5/11

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For those who knew Larry, I found his obituary on-line here:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/LJK-obit

Lawrence Joseph Kilgallen

KILGALLEN, Lawrence Joseph Of Newton, MA, died Mar. 2, 2011,
at Tippett Home Hospice in Needham, MA. He was born July 15,
1945, in Albany, NY, son of the late Joseph and Mary Rinda
(Shutts) Kilgallen. A software developer and Life Scout, he
pursued interests in ham radio, journalism, telephony,
drama, sailing, software process improvement, and square
dancing. His college years at MIT were interrupted by
service in the US Army in Viet Nam. He was passionate about
computer security to protect privacy, deeply involved in the
DEC User Society, and an active participant in several
square dance clubs. Larry is survived by his wife, Marian
Kowalski; sister Mary Jean (Larry) Frank of Albany; nephew
David Frank; niece Courtney Frank; grand-nephew Christian
Frank; grand-nieceMary Colette Turkoz; and many well-loved
cousins. A memorial service will take place at the Parish
Hall of First Parish in Needham at 23 Dedham Ave., on Sun.,
May 1 at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, friends might wish to
donate to their local library or Newton Free Library, 330
Homer St., Newton Centre, MA 02459. For obit or to share a
memory of Larry pleasevisit www.eatonfuneralhomes.com Eaton
Funeral Home 781-444-0201

Hans Vlems

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Mar 6, 2011, 4:38:51 AM3/6/11

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Thank Brian. I've had the opportunity to talk to Larry during DECUS
Europe conferences.
It's a sad day for all of us who knew him, however briefly.
Hans

Galen

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Mar 7, 2011, 9:48:26 AM3/7/11

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So sorry to hear this. I recall contributions to the DEC user community all the way back to when I began using DEC products professionally, after finishing college in late 1980.

He most likely at the first DECUS symposium I attended, which was one in the early 1980's, the last to be held there before they moved farther north to the Anaheim area.

Though not well acquainted, I have spoken with him any number of times. His presence among us will be greatly missed. Condolences to his family and friends, from my heart.

DaveG

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Mar 7, 2011, 10:29:47 AM3/7/11

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I didn't know Larry was a Viet Nam veteran. If I did, we could have
shared a few things when we met and talked. I did with Terry Shannon
and we had some interesting conversations as a result.

Thanks for posting this Brian.