FW: iSeries News newsletter on Gary Guthrie -- MI400

From: ClubTechiSeries PrgmTips
[mailto:ClubTechiSeries_PrgmTips@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 9:59 AM
To: Ken Rokos
Subject: Club Tech iSeries Programming Tips -- March 20, 2003


*************** Club Tech iSeries Programming Tips Newsletter ***************
An iSeries Network Publication                  http://www.iSeriesNetwork.com
Home of iSeries NEWS Magazine
Issue 116                                                      March 20, 2003


The Loss of a Friend:

Today you are not receiving your usual technical newsletter because it is my 
sorrowful responsibility to inform you that Gary Guthrie, the author of this 
regular e-mail newsletter, passed away last Thursday evening. Many of you have 
enjoyed his writings over the years, but you may have never known of his 
constant battles with his health and his courage and determination to beat the 
overwhelming odds that were always before him. Gary spent most of his life in a 
wheelchair, outlived the many predictions by doctors regarding how long he 
would 
live, and remained completely dedicated to hard work to provide for his 
children 
after he was gone.

I first met Gary shortly after he began writing for us in September 1995. The 
after-effects of a severe case of polio at age two had battered his body and 
left him physically thin. However, I quickly learned that this didn't get in 
his 
way. There were times that he had to allow others to help him. I recall 
carrying 
him, with the help of others, in his chair down the stairs several times, but I 
never recall thinking of Gary as a weak person. Gary was one of the strongest 
people I have known. Gary's strength came from many sources. Gary insisted that 
others view him as an equal and not see him as needy. He had a sense of pride 
that was admirable concerning his ability to take care of himself.

His strength also came from his hunger to learn as much as possible and 
contribute as much as possible. Gary had a great desire to devour technical 
knowledge. Even more, he loved to share that information with you. He enjoyed 
knowing that he made a difference by providing helpful and meaningful advice, 
tips, and knowledge to you all.

His strength came from his determination to provide for his children. Early in 
his life, Gary knew that his life would be shorter than most. With that in 
mind, 
he had a focus on working as hard as possible to save for the future financial 
security of his children. Having children of my own, I can fully appreciate his 
complete love for them and his desire to make sure their life would be 
supported. Gary spoke of his children often and willed himself to live through 
adversity for their good.

Gary represented so much strength, so much talent, and so much genuine care for 
his friends. I was fortunate to have Gary as a peer in business and as a 
friend. 
Gary was always willing to make time for friends and always concerned for the 
well-being of his friends. You, as readers, were friends in a remote way. He 
took great joy in writing to you. He enjoyed the limited opportunities he had 
to 
actually meet you. He found great satisfaction in his life while contributing 
part of himself to all of us.

We have lost a good man.

Wayne Madden
Publisher/Editor in Chief
_______________________________________

It seems impossible that Gary Guthrie is gone. Among the gurus of IBM 
computing, Gary was one of the best. Ask any of the thousands of people he 
helped with OS/400 technical questions and you'll hear that Gary had an 
uncommon 
skill with technology, and an amazing ability to help others with that skill.

Gary personified the word altruistic. Among our cadre of iSeries and ePro 
writers, editors, and staff Gary was the go-to guy for any iSeries technical 
issue. He spent far more than an ordinary eight-hour day working from his Texas 
desk by all means electronic.

Gary helped people by phone, e-mail, fax, on the Web, and in hundreds of 
published technical articles. He leaves an enormous legacy of material and is 
truly an irreplaceable person in our community. At this writing, I'm certain 
the 
significance of this loss, already sorely felt, isn't fully apparent to us.

Many people were unaware of Gary's trying health difficulties. I won't go into 
details because I know Gary would not want me to. He eschewed sympathy for his 
condition, and only asked that he have the same access to life as everyone 
else. 
But you should know that Gary's abilities and prolific writing are all the more 
amazing because he achieved them in spite of a burden few others carry.

Anyone who knows Gary knows he did not suffer fools gladly. Traveling required 
special arrangements, and occasionally some condescending bureaucrat or ill-
advised regulation would block the way. Gary always surmounted these obstacles, 
and the obstacle wasn't just overcome, it was vaporized. I admired Gary's 
ability to get to his goal in the face of such opposition, and I learned how to 
persevere from his example.

For me personally, Gary was a much-loved and dear friend, and his loss I sorely 
feel. No memorial can capture the bonds of camaraderie that come from facing 
down thorny technical problems while sitting around a campfire in the Rocky 
mountains. I can't adequately explain a friendship that grew over years of 
conferences, e-mails, phone calls, and shared battles with technology. I only 
know that few could possibly contribute as much wisdom, character, and 
friendship to our community.

Mel Beckman
Senior Technical Editor
____________________________________________________

Gary Guthrie first came to our attention in 1995 as a prolific contributor to 
our old NEWSlink BBS on Compuserve. His broad knowledge of AS/400 programming 
and sys admin and his obvious desire to be helpful to others led us to recruit 
him as a technical editor. We soon discovered that he was an excellent writer 
as 
well. Gary quickly took over our Tech Corner department because he loved making 
sure that your questions got answered. And he willingly volunteered for other 
tasks such as testing the code for the utilities we published, editing the 
print 
newsletter The RPG Source, authoring the Starter Kit for the iSeries and 
AS/400, 
and serving as a key advisor on our magazine and online content. 

Gary was extremely loyal to NEWS -- its editors and its readers -- and to the 
iSeries community. We have all lost an extraordinary friend and resource. Gary 
was 49 and is survived by his son Josh, a high school junior, and his daughter 
Shannon, who is in 8th grade. The March of Dimes was very helpful to Gary and 
his family during his childhood struggles with polio. Please remember Gary the 
next time you receive a request to help that organization.

Dale Agger
Editorial Director