The passing of RockDoc

[lumpkin]

I am so sorry to read about this. It''s very sudden news to me because I wasn''t aware he was ill -- his posts were certainly lively! Deepest condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Ellen]

Oh Ann, thank you so much for that heartfelt, indepth post. I feel like I know him so much better, ironically, now that he is gone.

I am sooo sorry you didn''t get that cruise in, and that you didn''t get to say good-bye. I know how painful that can be to deal with....


My sympathy to you, in the loss of your dear friend.

 

[Skippy123]

Anne,
What a beautiful post, thank you. I too am sorry you didn''t take that cruise but I know it will happen somday. RockDoc sounded like a wonderful and loving man.

 

[strmrdr]

Anne, thank you for sharing a side of RockDoc that many of us did not get too see.
I''m sorry for your loss, he is deeply missed.

 

[Kaleigh]

Anne,
What a sweet and loving post. I am sorry you didn''t have a chance to say goodbye, and take that cruise. He will always be in your heart, and as you said that seat is there for you some day. RockDoc is greatly missed around here. Thank you for sharing all that you did.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Lovely, heartfelt post, Anne. I am very sorry for the loss of your friend.

 

[pyramid]

Love and hugs to you Anne. Thank you for the insight into more of Rockdoc''s life. I am sorry too that you never got to go on that cruise.

 

[alitalia]

Hello to all,

I just finished reading all the resonses to my post,
Im overwhelmed, and I thankyou all.
I will be honest, I didnt expect them.
So I thankyou so much


Bill's internet friends, all of you that is,
were his family.
In real life, his aunt was the only family he had.
He was the only one in his *blood* family that would take care of her.

He never knew his father, his father died when he was 6 months old.
His mother passed away a long time ago.
So that was it.
Just know that all of you were his family.

Im sure some of you could say,
that you may not have liked him at first,
but once you got to know him,
he turned out to be a really good guy,
very honest,
would make you feel that you were his best friend or his only client.

He always put everyone before himself.
Thats probably why he was so passionate about what he did.
He was always upgrading his work equipment
and learning knew things
because he didnt want people to get
*ripped off*
*grin*


If I didnt talk to him for a stretch of time,
the first thing he would talk about was the
new information reguarding *Diamonds* ,
whether it was new appraising methods,
someone coming from out of town to have him appraise their diamond,
also,
he would mention if he was doing one of those
expert witness things,
He really loved what he did.


Thanks to all of you so much,
Love, Hugs, and God Bless,
Anne

"For is anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
he is like a man observing his natural face in the mirror;
for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets
what kind of man he was.
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it,
and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,
this one will be blessed in what he does"
~*~James 1:23-25~*~

 

[niceice]

Thank you very much Ann for posting such a wonderful memoir of our good friend Rock Doc. Although I miss my conversations with Bill very much and mourn his passing, you put a warm smile on my face as you brought his memory to life once more. Thank you, thank you very much!

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Thanks Anne. I too, appreciate this inside look at RockDoc. It makes me understand him all that much more.

 

[chas]

I still can’t believe that such a wonderful friend in gone! Bill and I became friends right from the start. I contacted Bill when I first began searching for a diamond to put in a custom made setting that Mark Morrell and I were working on. Bill gave me my gemological education on what to look for and what to avoid in selecting a “pet rock”. He was absolutely the most unselfish and giving person that I have ever had the pleasure to know!

My confidence in Bill and his abilities actually led me to ask him to select my stone for me. Who could possibly do a better job at this then Bill? I told him the size stone that I was looking for and asked him to go out and search for the perfect “pet rock”. Bill was absolutely delighted to do this very large favor for me. Before long he selected a stone for me and I had it sent to him for analysis. Bill was so very excited about this project that I was working on with Mark Morrell that he immediately worked well into the night the very day that he received the stone. I had a very full email box with the results of his work. We went over all the reports together on the phone that night and I told Bill that you have all my confidences and trust and to finish the job you started and to go ahead with the stone. He did! I must say he did one fine job in his selection. He new from reading the reports and analyzing some pictures before I even had the stone sent to him that this particular stone was it.

He asked me then where did I want the stone to be sent. I told him if he did not mind to please hang on to it for me until Mark was ready with my setting. He said that would be absolutely fine with him. About a month later Mark was ready for the stone to be sent to him. Strangely enough until this time both Bill and Mark had never worked together on a project or even spoke to one another by phone. So, I sort of introduced the two of them for the first time with my project. Each one of course new of the others fine work but never worked together until this time. Both were very excited about the project and worked very well together to make my ring a really beautiful piece. I think it took on a little extra special meaning to both because it was a gentlemen’s ring that they were working on this time. When Bill and I would talk right up until his sudden passing he would still say how greatful he was that I got him together with Mark. They worked together after that on other projects and became fast friends.

Bill new that I was worried about insuring my new ring as quickly as possible and that I needed a very good appraisal for this. Well as anyone that new Bill and anything about his appraisals they were extremely long, detailed and consisted of at least 30 pages. A beautiful work in itself. Now one of Bill’s appraisals as some folks know could take several months or longer to complete. But in true Bill fashion he moved me up to the front of the line so that I would be able to get insured as soon as possible. This was not something that he had to do but truly wanted to do. I remember asking him how my new ring looked because I still had not physically seen it ----- only pictures at that point. He took the time to describe it detail over the phone to me as he held it in his hand.

Our friendship continued long after the completion of my ring. Bill would just pickup the phone and call me anytime of the day or night just to see how I was getting along and I would often do the same with him. We had many things in common including the problems he had with his aunt. I to have a relative that I help take care of with the same illness. We would talk to each other over the years and compare notes on this subject as well as other interests.

He asked me to come down and see him in Florida several times. He wanted me to see how he performed his work on analyzing “pet rocks”. He was very interested in showing me how to do this. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to Florida in time. .

I only wish that there were more genuine and caring people like you (Bill) in this world. You were and are a very good friend to me and I cannot Thank You enough for all that you did for me. Every time that I look down at my “pet rock” I will think of you!

I will miss you my friend! Until we meet again!

Chuck

 

[Shay37]

Anne and Chuck, as a PSer who never had an opportunity to meet Bill by phone or in person, I thank you. All of the lovely stories about Bill bring him to life for me. I loved his posts, and now I get to see the private side of a much beloved personality here. Thank you both and all the others who shared private time with Bill with all of us. It is a true tribute to a one-of-a-kind man.

shay

 

[fire&ice]

I just found this thread. I'm stunned and saddened by his passing and our collective loss.

Lawmax writes "Authentic." - in a nutshell described RocKDoc.