What a shock. First, thoughts and prayers to family and close friends. I have known DB for many years, but only saw him yearly at Iowa. We weren't good friends, mere acquantiances I'd say. I first met Dick when he hauled a showcase pump all the way from California back to Iowa for me - MANY years ago. Boy did he whine smile - not sure if he was really upset about the hassle and the weight and the long distance - or that I pulled a great pump out of his back yard :)) Ha ha. He helped me with info many times and connected me with others who could help when he couldn't. As mentioned, he was a wealth of knowledge! Funny that we had a collection of his quotes posted here just hours before his passing. Perhaps Jim can make that thread a permanent fixture here along with these memoirs as a tribute to Dick? Can't imagine how much time he had logged in here at Old Gas? RIP DB - hope you got to take your 36B tops with you...