Thanks, Roy

Roy was a friend from Francis Lewis High School in the late 60's. In college he began dating my sister, Beth Bernick, and upon graduation they married; thus Roy became my brother-in-law.

Among my many warm memories of Roy, two speak best to the attributes that others have spoken of admiring in him, when they met him later in his life.

The first happened in May, 1973 at the tail end of my senior year at Yale. I had embarked on a complicated senior essay about religious minorities in Iran during the 19th century, using old British travelers' accounts and fragmented diaries. It was almost complete, but I was badly stuck and beginning to panic. Roy drove up to New Haven for the day and sat with me for hours, figuring out the gist of all the work that had already been completed so that I could write the final pages, as well as the introduction. He gave me not only the confidence to finish the project, but also showed me what the work was REALLY about -- a tribute to oppressed minorities, or in his words, "the people's history." And it got done overnight, with his help.

My second memory involves my father who was a former Trostkyite and labor movement participant. He enjoyed talking endlessly about socialism and labor history with Roy -- FINALLY someone who understood all this stuff from his youth. In fact, Roy knew more about it than Dad did though Roy would never say it (and neither would Dad!). Roy did not correct my father ever, he simply tried to learn as much as he could from this first-hand witness to the events they both loved to discuss.

Roy was a mensch, one of those just souls by whom the world is redeemed. He was kind, gentle, forgiving and wise.

I can only extend my deepest condolences to Deborah, Mae and Robin, but words are truly not enough. As we say in the Jewish tradition, "May his memory be for a blessing." Roy blessed so many with his generosity of spirit that the loss is palpable, a hole in all our hearts. Sadly, I never got to tell him the full measure of my admiration.

Thanks and farewell, Roy, from friends back at Lewis '67 and '68, and the Bernick family -- all of us.