Walter Lord Passes On

[Erik Wood]

I heard this afternoon that Walter Lord passed away this afternoon from Parkinsons disease at his New York home.

He will be missed, and without his contribution many of us wouldn't be as interested in Titanic as we are.

Erik

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

I have spoken by phone to his secretary who says Walter was with Angela and Grace when he passed away yesterday at 2 p.m.New York time, after a brave struggle. His day nurse Beryl was away on vacation at the time. The memorial service will be June10th at the New York Historical Society. Lillian mentioned again the little box of valentines which are on his desk now, and thanked all at ET for loving him, and remembering him. A great man is gone from our presence- his loss is even now being felt, as Lillian said, across the ocean. Today's TIMES should carry the obituary.

 

[Mark Baber]

There's nothing yet on The New York Times' web site, but there's a short piece on CNN's:

http://www.cnn.com/2 002/SHOWBIZ/books/05 /20/obit.walter.lord .ap/index.html

RIP.

 

[Don Tweed]

Oh no!!! My hero has passed away!!!
Maybe he will find the answers he has always searched for!

R.I.P. dear sir.

Deepest regrets, Don

 

[Andrew Williams]

Peace perfect peace.

I am truely indebted to this great man Walter Lord, the legend and inspiration of all Titanic Communties world-wide.

Good night dear Sir, and God bless and thank you. Your name shall live on for eternity!

Andrew W.

 

[Yuri Singleton]

Mr Lord,
I owe you a debt of gratitude for the wonderful voyage on which your book has taken me. A NIGHT TO REMEMBER was the first book about Titanic I ever read, way back some 20 years ago. It started me down a road of wonder and discovery that has provided me with so much satisfaction and enjoyment throughout my life.

Thank you.
May your legacy be remembered for ages to come with the honor and respect it deserves.

Peace be with you and your family.

Respectfully,
Yuri Singleton

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Mr Lord,
We all owe you a great debt for helping to spark 'Titanic fiver' within the hearts of every Titanic buff,thanks to your fine book; and for assuring the events that unfolded on April 15 1912 will never be forgotten. Now i suspect you're hob nobbing with Thomas Andrews and Capt Smith, to learn even more about what happened that night. God bless you, and thank you...

You are a man to remember......


Peace

Tarn Stephanos

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

All,

What sad news to come home to. Thank you Shelley for your sweet message telling me of Walter's passing. I knew the day would come soon.

I'm so glad you thought to rally us together for a last tribute to this great man back in February. May God bless you for that.

Of course words of thanks are not enough to those dear ladies who were his caregivers and who, mercifully, were with him when he left this world. He had suffered so much and in that sense I must admit to being much relieved he is gone to greener pastures, or more appropriately, calmer seas.

We all are here today on this board and many of us have cemented friendships because of Walter Lord. Without him there might never have been a Cameron film or an ET website. Walter was synonymous with Titanic.

Not all of us were as lucky as Shell and others here to get to meet and know Walter. I never met him but have always treasured his letters of advice and kind thoughtfulness. I will treasure them even more now.

May God rest his soul.

In Sympathy and Love,

Randy

 

[John Clifford]

For Walter Lord:
"Thank you for the wonderful research you did, on the Titanic".

"You truly inspired my interest".

"A Night To Remember" will truly rank as a classic.

"Rest In Peace"

John Clifford

 

[Brian Meister]

It seems a million miles have fallen behind
me since I wrote to Walter Lord at the age of
12 and received a very detailed reply. The
subsequent letters held treasured answers for
me. The adult I am today is grateful for the
journey his book took me on, over and over
again; that night truly lives on for me as
for many. The adult I am today sorrows for the
long suffering endured by a man who gave such
joy to so many. And while that book brought
me joy and pain of my own, the child in me
wishes I could crack that volume once again
as a new beginning. I reflect that as many
discoveries have fallen my way during my own
research of Titanic, I must always remember
the pleasure my first Titanic correspondent
had each time I would identify an unknown
face in his book.
Perhaps he saw a little something in this
little person who had one hundred million
questions to ask. Whatever caused him to
take the time to write to me, I will be forever
appreciative.
God speed, Walter Lord. Teacher, author,
writer, inspiration.

 

[Darren Honeycutt]

Even though I knew he was sick, it still came as a shock to me that he had died. I was fortunate it to have spoken briefly with him in 1995 and he spoke to me as if he had know me for years. There wasn't a more kinder person than Walter Lord. I will always treasure my "A Night To Remember" book with the personal message that he wrote in it for me.

 

[Kris Muhvic]

A little sampling that was planted in my heart so many years ago has withered a little today.

Mr. Lord gave me a desire to learn...and his memory shall encourage me to continue.

To the good years, dear man~

 

[Bill Wormstedt]

I would not be here today, if reading Walter Lord's book in the mid-60s hadn't gotten me interested.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

In response to some emails this evening the link for the last visit with Walter and ET's valentine project is
http://www.revdma2.com/Walter.html

Walter as a boy.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Sorry- must be case-sensitive-
http://www.revdma2.com/walter.html

Walter, aged 9 with his Mother on Olympic (1926)

 

[Maureen Zottoli]

Thanks Erik for starting this thread. And thanks Shelley for sharing these lovely things with us.

I never met him. Never wrote to him or had a book signed by him. Work took me away, so I never got a chance to send my love in a Valentine.

I am grateful for the legacy of Titanic writings, commentary, and film that Walter Lord left to each of us. And I am grateful for this place to say that he and his excitement about Titanic and heart to teach will be missed.

Maureen.

 

[John Meeks]

Walter....
...without you...I don't think this site would exist today.

Thank you, Sir, and 'Bon Voyage'

John M

 

[Kyrila Scully]

I echo Tarn's sentiments. When I heard of Walter Lord's passing, I thought of that ethereal scene at the end of "TITANIC" where Rose's spirit drifts down to the ship and it comes alive again to greet her, and as she enters the Grand Staircase, everyone is gathered together to welcome her and applaud her. That's what I envision is happening with Walter Lord at this time. A round of applause for a job well done.

Thank you again, Shelley, for rallying us together for the Valentine campaign. I will forever treasure the note I received from him, which arrived on the day before my birthday. What a lovely gift to receive!

Godspeed, dear sir!
Kyrila

 

[Nigel Bryant]

Thank you Walter Lord for everything you have done. I recently borrowed "A Night to Remember" and loved it, all the Titanic work has inspired others with this subject. Your life is full of acomplishments and may you rest in peace.

God bless,

Nigel

 

[John M. Feeney]

A little slow on the uptake myself, but I echo most of the sentiments already expressed here. Though I think many of us expected this (sooner or later), it's still quite saddening to hear of Walter Lord's actual departure.

Whatever the varying opinions of his work -- and to my mind he was almost universally revered as an author, a historian, and a fine gentleman -- Walter touched the lives of so many with his compelling account of that tragic night, myself included.

Though I never met him, nor corresponded with him personally -- save through Shelley's wonderful Operation Valentines effort -- he seems to have been one of the most genuinely likeable men to ever walk the planet. Loved, revered, and respected -- not at all a bad way to go out.

Walter's passing has left a great void in Titanica. I can only hope, as others have suggested, that all his remaining questions have now been answered, and that, should he so wish, he now strides the very deck of that Ship of Dreams.

Following is the link for the New York Times obituary:

http://www.nytimes.c om/aponline/arts/AP- Obit-Walter-Lord.htm l?ex=1022930496&ei=1 &en=02d41aa8bea17b48

Regards,
John