We had the great privilege of visiting William’s shop years ago with our then-quite-young grandson. Eli would have been maybe four or five. He was fascinated by William’s work and had many many questions. William answered them all with great care. They were two scientists together. Age did not matter. Neither did the time William was spending on one small, very curious boy. Jim and I — and Eli — treasure that day very much. William was one of those rare humans for whom age and experience meant nothing, only the desire to learn and the excitement of discovering new things about the planet and especially its oceans. We admire his knowledge and his work immensely, and consider his passing a significant loss to the world as well as to his family and friends. We offer our sympathy to Barb and their family. We are grateful for the hospitality of their home, and we are grateful for the pleasure of having known William, truly a wise and precious person.
