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In Memory of Rich Van Konynenburg.

Messages
6
Dear Diana,

I had the pleasure of meeting your husband several years ago at a CFS/ME event, and corresponded with him via email many times. He was... an amazing, unique, gifted, determined, intelligent individual. The world was better for his presence in it, and he will be very missed.

My condolences to you and your family.

Marcia Morrison
in Salem, Massachusetts
 

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
As most of you already know, there will be a public event honoring Rich:

On Saturday, October 6th, at 10:30 a.m., a memorial and Celebration of Rich's life will be held at Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore. This facility is very large, and anyone who would like to attend is welcome.

348 North Canyons Pkwy Livermore, CA 94551
http://cornerstoneweb.org/

Immediately following this memorial service on Saturday, October 6th, a lunch will be provided at the Shrine Event Center in Livermore (at noon). Again, all are welcome.


170 Lindbergh Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551
http://www.shrineeventcenter.com/

The family of Rich Van Konynenburg
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
I will not be able to attend the memorial and celebration in body, but I will certainly be there in spirit.
 

determined

Senior Member
Messages
307
Location
USA: Deep South
Rich continues to be on my mind, and for all of us, the grieving process will continue for a long while. I wish I could make it to California for the service, but I will be holding my own "service" at that same time.
 

Beyond

Juice Me Up, Scotty!!!
Messages
1,122
Location
Murcia, Spain
Even while I never got in touch with him or really posted much here in the past, it saddens me to read this and I am sorry for your loss. I have read some of the great research Rich did and his personal comments made clear he was such a great man...
 

Helen

Senior Member
Messages
2,243
Dear Diana,

My condolences to you and your family.
I was really sad to read that Rich has passed away.

I am the one who invited him to lecture for the Swedish IAOMT-group one year ago. It was such a great honour, and great pleasure for us to have Rich as a lecturer, and to have the opportunity during two days to share and discuss his findings.

He was such a brilliant researcher, an excellent speaker and teacher, and also so very kind and helpful to all people with ME/CFS.

To any reader of this who haven´t watched the video of his seminar, I enclose the link to it.
http://iaomt.media.fnf.nu/2/skovde_2011_me_kroniskt_trotthetssyndrom/.

On Saturday, 6th, we will have our annual meeting in the IAOMT-group. Our thoughts will be with you during the memorial service for Rich.
Through his work he will always be alive to us.
With great thankfulness from his friends in Sweden

Helen
 

ukme

Senior Member
Messages
169
I'm so sorry to hear of this. He was so helpful to me and I greatly admired his unflagging determination to try and find some answers to this horrible illness. Rest in peace, Rich.
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
It would be great if we could somehow print out all these nice comments into a booklet form to
present to Rich's family.

Would anyone know how to go about it? Is it possible to do?
 

RivkaRivka

Senior Member
Messages
368
Rich's wife asked me to post this here. I'm so grateful to whoever organized this effort and contributed to it. Thank you! -- Rivka
_______

Today I returned home to find an incredibly beautiful lemon tree on our front porch, and it was planted in a large, quite beautiful pot.

The accompanying card indicated that it was from all of you at Pheonix Rising. I'd like to thank you, and all of the others at Pheonix Rising for the tree and for all of your kind words. They have meant so much in this nearly unbearable time.

Warmest possible regards,

Diana Van Konynenburg
 

RivkaRivka

Senior Member
Messages
368
the "in person" memorials have happened, all in CA. but we are planning a telephone conference call memorial for all in the me/cfs/lyme/mcs communities to attend. we are right now working on that. it will be a sunday, sometime in the next 2-4 wks.

best,
rivka
 

leela

Senior Member
Messages
3,290
the "in person" memorials have happened, all in CA. but we are planning a telephone conference call memorial for all in the me/cfs/lyme/mcs communities to attend. we are right now working on that. it will be a sunday, sometime in the next 2-4 wks.

best,
rivka

Thank you, Rivka. How wonderful and necessary to have the opportunity to come together in honoring this great man's life.
 

lizw118

Senior Member
Messages
315
Dear Diana,
I can't imagine the pain you must be going through right now. I only know Rich from my online and email correspondences yet he made such a positive impact on my healing and life. I know the same is true for so many other people on this site. He always conducted himself with grace and kindness, and was so patient and thorough in his research. I hope people can continue on with his studies. I wish you the best,
Liz
 

RivkaRivka

Senior Member
Messages
368
Please forward widely



All are invited to the
ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS community's
Memorial Service
for
Rich Van Konynenburg
on
November 18, 2012

== What When Where ==

WHAT: Memorial Service for Rich Van Konynenburg, researcher and leader in the ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS communities.
WHEN: Sunday, November 18, 2012. At 2 pm EST USA; 11 am PST USA; 7 pm London/GMT. We'll end the memorial after everyone who wants to share has had a chance.
WHO: Especially welcome are those from the ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS communities. However, this is also open to anyone anywhere who wants to join us in remembering and honoring Rich.
WHERE: This memorial service will be held as a telephone conference call. Call in using a landline telephone, mobile phone or computer phone. So even if you are bedridden in California, the UK, Australia or anywhere, you should be able to join us if you can use a phone to call the USA.
HOW: The conference call dial-in phone number is: 805-399-1000. When prompted, key in the Participant Access Code: 997436#. The call will cost the normal fees associated with a long distance phone call to the USA, and no more.
INTERNATIONAL CALLERS: Consider using an international calling card. Or if you have Skype, go to your Skype account and click on "Call phones" and it will allow you to pay for the call. If you do not have Skype, you can download a free account at Skype.com. There, read how to buy Skype credit for making outgoing calls (that you would pay for). Or read how to buy Skype "Pay As You Go" minutes. Do all this prior to the day of the memorial service. After you select one of these options, on the day of the memorial service you will dial in to the conference call by using the same phone number (805-399-1000) and the same Participant Access Code (997436#) as listed above. NOTE: Calling from your mobile phone to join the USA conference call may be much more expensive for international Skype users than calling from a landline phone. Plan accordingly.
PLEASE SHARE: On the call, you will have an opportunity to "raise your hand" to indicate you wish to speak. Please keep your sharing to under two minutes, so all who wish to share can do so.
RSVP: There is no need to tell us you are attending, just come!
QUESTIONS: Contact Rivka(at)ThatTakesOvaries(dot)org

== Details ==

On Sunday, November 18, 2012, please join members of the ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS communities in saying "Thank you; We love you; Goodbye," to our beloved community leader, Rich Van Konynenburg.

We will be joined by Rich's wife, Diana; Dr. Neil Nathan, who worked with Rich on his Simplified Methylation Protocol; and Dr. Derek Enlander, who has known Rich for over a decade -- as have many of us.

Together, as a community, we will gather to grieve, mourn and begin to heal from this deeply felt loss. And the loss is substantial. Rich was a well-known community leader, a man who posted thousands of health and research related messages on the various ME/CFS, Lyme and MCS forums and listservs -- all about trying to help us, to alleviate our suffering, to make our lives better.

Rich was the most accessible researcher we ever had, unfailingly answering our thousands of questions and concerns, not just because this was an intriguing scientific puzzle but because he cared about us. His wife Diana recently described how his large office overflows with papers, spilling out into the next room. Many of those stacks of papers are our test results that he tirelessly analyzed for us, without asking for anything in return, just so he could help us understand complicated situations and decide complex next steps in recovering our health. Diana describes how Rich would come to the dinner table at night and talk about his research discoveries and understandings, and how he'd be so happy when he could make our lives a bit better -- and how he'd be deeply sad when he witnessed our suffering. He would weep when we wept, he would rejoice when he could help us. And there are many people he did help, both through his scientific analysis and his compassion.

Join us at this memorial service to tell us what Rich meant to you. Share your memories and personal stories of Rich, and read excerpts from emails/posts he sent you. This small act of sharing will help all of us grieve our loss and allow the healing to begin.

For questions, please email: Rivka(at)ThatTakesOvaries(dot)org
 

Allyson

Senior Member
Messages
1,684
Location
Australia, Melbourne
Yes I am very sorry too Diana, to hear the tragic news; I had not been on this forum often but had ften noted Rich's generous and well- informed posts; I agree with all the sentiments of sorrow expressed above and would add also that you have been so lucky to have had such a wonderful man in your life. I wish you the best in the sad period of mourning that is here and ahead of you and hope you get through it OK. You have wonderful memories to cherish.
 

pemone

Senior Member
Messages
448
I'm so sorry for your loss. This is a terrible to have such a generous and smart person leave us.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
248097_10201292288375097_407379803_n.jpg
 
Messages
75
Location
London
Even though I never had the privilege of exchanging words with Dr. Rich Van Konynenburg but, by endlessly reading the posts that he has posted in the past, I felt somewhat connected to him. Through his protocol, he helped me get through a really tough period of my life. Diana, I am really sorry for your loss, and I will always keep Rich in my prayers, forever always. Love, Farouk.