Now, for a little editorial from yours truly:
I knew John Piippo for quite a few years but mostly just in passing, you know, seeing each other at auctions or fish meetings. We were never within each others "smaller circle" of friends. Then I sat and talked with him this past November at the OCA convention until the wee hours of the morning. It was then that he told me he was dying, and I was floored to say the least.
We of course talked about the fish hobby, the fun times at auctions, and his desire and passion for young people to get into the hobby. I never knew how deep his passion ran. We also talked about the veterans of the hobby sharing their knowledge with the newcomers, and that was when he paid me some very flattering compliments. After talking to him so long and getting to see what an extremely experienced hobbyist he was, it meant even more to get these compliments.
I am very glad that I knew John, but even more that I got to know him better this year, even if it was only for a short time.
I guess the moral of this story is that we should try to get to know each other better and be sure to share our experience with the younger generation.
And to the people that now have John's collection of fish and/or equipment, please take a moment every so often and remember where it came from...a very passionate and dedicated hobbyist.
Rest In Peace John.
