I received this communications a short while ago. It is with the greatest sadness that I must announce this.
Diane Phelan
Message: Dear Anthony and the WUWT moderators:
I am the daughter of Robert Phelan and I unfortunately have some bad news to pass on. My father passed away suddenly last night from what we believe to be a heart attack. I know you had a party planned on the 18th. I would hate to say it’s cancelled because knowing my father, he would want the celebration to continue, but I’m hoping we could have a conversation first.
…
I’m so sorry to have to bring this news to you. He spoke of you often and with much respect and admiration.
Bob was the nicest and most helpful individual you could ever want to meet. I had met him twice, at two Heartland conferences, and we spoke over the phone often. He was tireless and dedicated to helping us all here, he was very helpful to me, and we’ve all lost a dear friend. Many of you knew him by his signature [REP].
I can tell you this was like a kick in the stomach for me. I loved Bob like a brother. He was always quick with a laugh and easy to talk with. He was fair, and honest, and good. My last communications with him was yesterday morning, and as usual, it was a message to help me with something about WUWT, passing along an important comment that I might otherwise have missed due to the volume.
I spoke with Diane Phelan his daughter, today, and I have conveyed my deepest sympathy to her and to the family. Details on funeral or other arrangements are obviously uncertain right now, and I will pass them along on this thread as I have them. I’ll also post a photo and official obituary when I have them.
As for the WUWT East Coaster’s picnic planned at Bob’s house on the 18th, – I don’t know at this point. One day at a time.
Bob was a lecturer at Eastern Connecticut State University in Sociology, Anthropology & Social Work. He understood people well, which is what made him such a great asset as a lead moderator at WUWT. To say he will be missed here, is an understatement.
The header of WUWT goes to a black band now, to honor and mourn his passing.
###
UPDATE: A site for donations to help cover funeral costs will be made available in a day or two. I’ll announce that here when it is ready. – Anthony
UPDATE2: 8/11/12 6:30PM PST
The wake is this Wed, August 15th from 4-8p at the Cody-White Funeral Home (right off the Milford MetroNorth stop) 107 Broad St., Milford, CT 06460.
The funeral is this Thurs., August 16th at 10:30 am at St. Mary’s Church, 70 Gulf St. Milford, CT. The interment will be at St Mary’s Cemetery immediately following.
Full obituary here
The link to the memorial fund site set up is:
http://www.giveforward.com/therobertphelanmemorialfund
There’s lot of new pictures of Bob there. Please take a moment to look and consider helping.
The Phelan family asked me if I would ask your to donate to the memorial fund in lieu of flowers. I am happy to do so, especially after learning of this below.
I received this update from his daughter Diane Phelan, when I inquired where Bob was when he was stricken:
To answer your question, my father was found at his study desk, where we often found him asleep! He had very likely fallen asleep moderating the blog, or doing some related research.
…
As I probably mentioned to you, he most likely didn’t feel it and it was quick and peaceful for him, something I am grateful for and it’s what he would have wanted.
Thank you for any considerations you can offer. I have made a significant contribution myself. – Anthony
Aw man I feel so bad to have to say these words belatedly, I am a man who was around before the internet had pictures, and have known moderators almost endless.
VERY FEW did I admire for even handedness.
I never knew who [REP] was but figured I’d find out, some day. I’ve found out, and now I see the picture associated with who [REP] is and feel like I maybe could have slipped in a thanks for such a decent fellow to be helping out here.
God bless [REP]s family and may they always, ALWAYS, be on the RIGHT SIDE, of right & wrong.
God bless, again. Thank you Robert for contributing such flawless tact.
Digitap
RIP Mr.Phelan and thanks.
My condolences to Robert Phelan’s family and friends.
William
So sad. Condolences to Robert’s family.
RIP, Robert! We will miss you!
While participating in a sequence of comments recently at WUWT – the one and only time I have ever done that – the aspect of those exchanges that impressed me the most was the moderation done by someone who called himself REP. [snip] His reasoned and stabilizing influence made me look forward to reading more treads at WUWT. He will not be easily replaced, I suspect. Wish I had gotten to know him better. Regrets to his family.
@ericgrimsrud The last telephone conversation I had with Bob was on Wednesday. He called me because he was concerned about an attack website setup by NASA GISS employee and WUWT protagonist Jan P. Perlwitz.
REP had fairly and rightfully admonished Perlwitz here for some comments he made that were over the top, and in response, Perlwitz decided to setup the attack website. Bob told me to look at it, but also said prophetically “you should take your blood pressure medicine before you look at it”.
I told Bob that I appreciated his concern, but that I wouldn’t even bother to look at it, as WUWT has spawned a number of hateful blog children sites like this. I told him to simply ignore it, and that I won’t even bother to visit it. True to that, I still haven’t and have no idea what the URL is or what the blog says.
Bob was even handed with Perlwitz’s comments, in one exchange here at WUWT I pointed out to Mr. Perlwitz that I’m not even allowed to comment at the GISS website RealClimate and that my comments are serially deleted, yet we allow Mr. Perlwitz to comment at WUWT, provided he sticks to policy. That incongruity was ignored.
Shortly after that, Mr. Perlwitz responds with an attack site. REP told me that he left a comment there, I don’t know whether it was approved or not or what conversation came after that. Like I said to REP that day, I’ll continue to ignore his website just like I ignore the other petulant child blogs WUWT has spawned.
I hope for Mr. Perlwitz’s sake, he can learn from the tolerance, even handedness, and good nature of Robert Phelan, who was a better man than I in that regard.
– Anthony Watts
Sorry to hear such sad news. My sympathies to all that knew him.
Condolences to his family and friends.
All of you speak for me, too. Thankyou – Oh, See you later, Robert.
Reblogged this on Climate Ponderings and commented:
My last joke with Mr Phelan:
Jul 25, 2012 – [SNIP: Yeah, funny, but this is a family blog and I wouldn’t want Kimmie to get start getting the wrong ideas. -REP]. *perk* ha ha ha ha …
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/07/25/dr-michael-mann-compares-inconvenient-visitors-to-his-facebook-page-to-beetle-larvae/
Missed 🙁
REP was a good man, an exemplary man.
We are poorer now for the loss.
Dammit.
Thank you for adding the photograph. Sometimes a photograph tells a great deal about a person. This photograph reflects the hundreds of comments and a great deal about the man … just looking at the twinkle in his eyes and his smile will cause me to remember him whenever I look back on bookmarked pages and see his initials – REP
Mr Phelan will sadly be missed by many of whom he never met but knew their views. He was certainly engaged with WUWT and worked to maintain the civil discourse exhibited here. He will rest in peace as his legacy will live on.
We are experiencing “unprecedented” warmth!
I add my small contribution to the warmth generated by those hundreds of people of all faiths (and none) who, with me, mourn [REP].
I never met him. I never even suffered his moderatory lash. But I saw what he did on WUWT to promote free and peaceful discourse. He was a good man, an honest man. A “Feyn” man, if I may be excused the pun.
Robert’s fellows in the sociological world would do well to look at this phenomenon. How the Internet has drawn together people who have values in common, such as honest science, and is making us into extended families.
But back to the present. Let’s celebrate his life and his achievements!
Neil
A sudden shock. : ((((( very sad. My Condolences.
May his family find strength and be comforted …
A sad day indeed. RIP
An unsung hero of the 21st century has passed. WUWT moderator is noble mission. RIP.
Anthony you should add his name as “moderator emeritus” on the right bar with a link to this article.
REPLY: Good idea -A
REP, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
A sad day and I agree with the sentiments of so many here who have valued his contribution to wuwt.
A wonderful moderator. Sometimes his comments were the most interesting part of a comment. My sincere condolences to his family and those that knew him.
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Jon
Most sincere condolences.
Puts things into perspective for both skeptics and AGWers. Hoping God wraps his arms around Bob and says “well done, thy good and faithful servant”