on the passing of Dr Bill Field Others above have expressed thoughts so well, but for those who'd want to read a bit more, here are a few things:
- It's been an honor to be the recipient of Bill's generosity of spirit, ranging from my first conversation with him in the 1990's when we got into our same-hometown (Lancaster, Pa.) connections, to helping my son Henry track down a high school radon-related science fair topic (Tn!) and mentor (Dan Steck!), to even just earlier this year, taking the time to manage the onerous QAPPs process for work on the radon disparity metric.
- We've just shared the following with the NRAP Leadership Council:
We mark the passing of R. William “Bill” Field on November 4 with sadness for his passing even as we recall him with great admiration. Many of us working on NRAP knew Bill personally and found him to be a visionary expert on radon, the most productive worker, a tireless advocate, compassionate, generous and easy-going as a person, and a dear friend. The world in which we work on saving lives from radon would be a much more difficult one were it not for Bill’s life of scientific research, perseverance and championship over the decades. Think not only of the Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Case-Control Study, the President’s Cancer Panel Report, the World Health Organization’s Handbook on Radon, the Health Care Provider’s guide and numerous studies, reports, and presentations, but also of Bill’s willingness to take the message of what all that science meant, to put it into human terms, and to use his deep knowledge and professional reputation to call for the kinds of policies that would save lives from radon-induced lung cancer.
- Finally, I close with brief excerpts from my last conversation with Bill, about only three months ago...
Bill: "Trying to hang in there. Completed 3rd chemo with a good many issues...."
Kevin: "... I will bother you with things radon only as much as you feel it’s useful to be distracted by them.
In other words, no obligation if you get any email from me on the subject...."
Bill: "Thanks Kevin, I am still working on projects (two NIH R01 grants) at Columbia part time. It is a welcome distraction. Be well."
That last reply sums up the man pretty well, I'd say.