I first encountered John when he was an Associate Dean in the College of Education, and I liked him from the start. It never occurred to me that we would work closely together for nearly 15 years in academic advising. He shepherded me through my first experience with Preview (freshman orientation at UF) and then became a co-worker in the Academic Advising Center (AAC) when I started there in 1998. John was just a wonderful person, a great teacher, a devoted husband and father, and a real gentle man. Everyone in the AAC had an "in loco parentis" when John was there. His generosity of spirit (and with food) was contagious. We all loved John, and I think he loved us back just as much. We had a tight little ship, and John, being a Navy man, was like the guy who would troubleshoot the engine room and then emerge on deck to tell you in no uncertain terms exactly what was going on. He worked hard for years for a token salary with us and for us in his "retirement," and many students benefited from his tough-love and always accurate advice. Like Dan Kelly before him, another great UF icon is gone. We all owe so much to him and his generation.