Passing... Rowland "Ron" Mowrey aka PE, Photo Engineer, Feb. 15, 2020

Lachlan Young

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It's hard to underestimate his contribution to sustaining analogue photography & its gradual regrowth - especially his willingness to share knowledge about emulsion making using modern techniques.
 

mark

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The man had a good run, and most importantly gave freely of his experience and knowledge to those who were willing to listen.
 

eddie

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I'm so sorry to hear this. He was always a gentleman in his patience with our questions, and a valuable member of our little community.
 

CMoore

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Had he been sick, it seems like i did not read much from him lately.?

Especially as a beginner, i am sure i am not the only member that searched his name just to read his comments on various topics.

Like with all fields, members of "The Golden Age" cannot be replaced.
They are Of/From a time that no longer exists.
His experience will not be "duplicated" by younger people going into the field.......
Hollywood, Race Cars, Rock and Roll, Film......once you lose these people, they take (many of) their experiences with them.
We were lucky to have him.
 

Sal Santamaura

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CMoore said:
Had he been sick, it seems like i did not read much from him lately.?...
Click to expand...
This is a "Conversation" titled "Are things OK there?" that I sent to Ron last Saturday, February 15, after noticing he hadn't been active at PHOTRIO since January 17:

Hi Ron,

I notice you haven't been at PHOTRIO for a month now. Just checking in to ask whether all's well with you and yours.

Best regards,

Sal​

Thanks to Bob for this thread that explains why Ron didn't answer. My deepest condolences to the Mowery family and all of us here who will be infinitely poorer for Ron's passing.
 

falotico

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I had the chance to go out to lunch with him last May with a friend who is also a photo-enthusiast. We visited his house and saw his dark room, which was to me like playing Chopin's piano. He had trouble walking and questioned whether he would make it through another winter. But his spirit was so upbeat !! His book might be the best on emulsion-making. He had a second volume halfway written.

He had a model train set layout in the basement and shelves full of paperback science fiction. He also had an enlargement of the launch of Friendship 7 which he took himself and which was signed by John Glenn.

The members of APUG will appreciate how much he will be missed.
 

Ariston

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As new as I am to Photrio, he had already helped me many times... a true expert. My condolences to his family.
 

Mr Bill

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Perhaps my saddest day ever on this forum. Sorry for your loss, laser, and my condolences to Ron's family.
 

removedacct1

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So sorry to hear this. Ron was always generous with his immense body of knowledge. This community is much richer for his contributions. We should all be so lucky to leave a legacy like this.
 

David A. Goldfarb

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With 29,410 posts on APUG and Photrio.com archived in his profile as “Photo Engineer,” Ron Mowrey certainly left a massive trove of information and wisdom here on the forum. I had the good fortune to attend part of an emulsion making workshop he led in New York, where I purchased his emulsion making manual and got to see his handcoating blades in action. Afterward he and Patti Katchur, who organized the workshop at the lab that hosted it, and I had a memorable dinner at Cendrillon on Mercer St. in Soho, a Filipino fusion place run by some more good friends of mine, Romy Dorotan and Amy Besa. He was always saying he owed me dinner up in Rochester, but unfortunately I never made it up there.

Ron’s memory should be an inspiration to those who have the kind of knowledge that Ron had to share it with a wider audience, even if it means rubbing up against a few people who may not seem to appreciate it sometimes. Ultimately the facts speak for themselves, and no user has left a greater legacy of facts here on the forum than Rowland Mowrey.

 
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