Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

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Crazins
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Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

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justinm
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by justinm »

When I met him a few years ago he was wheelchair bound and had an aide assisting him. I don't think he heard me say how honored I felt to be meeting him and shake his hand. He's a real legend to be sure, but I wouldn't say going strong in his case.
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Stohlgren
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by Stohlgren »

Damn Justin, you can be one pessimistic fellow.
Robert Hansen
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by Robert Hansen »

Hobart has been quite deaf for many years now, but communicates very capably via email. My last email exchange with him was a few months ago and he was quite lucid!
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-EJ
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by -EJ »

Too bad this medium doesn't have a 'like' function.

btw... happy birthday to a herp community icon.
Stohlgren wrote:Damn Justin, you can be one pessimistic fellow.
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Dell Despain
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by Dell Despain »

Hey Marisa, gotta love that Hobart has the Tantilla hobartsmithi named after him. Kind of a serendipitous ironic twist in here some where. ;)

-Dell
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ksuglennj
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by ksuglennj »

I honestly have never met Hobart but I feel like I know him. He was extremely willing and helpful to me when I was a much younger man. My PhD adviser was a comparative lab TA of his at CU. Then I got to deal with some of the lizards that he helped acquire from Mexico. My name was/will never be on those pubs, but I felt honored just to help put them in ethanol. What a legend, happy 100 indeed.


Glenn
Robert Hansen
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by Robert Hansen »

Video tribute to HMS, courtesy of Oscar Flores at UNAM.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC3VMWTDy5U
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

Amazing!!! Happy Life Day!
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Nir
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by Nir »

Wow! 100! So cool that an icon of modern herpetology like Mr Smith is still of this world!
vanbreuk
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Re: Happy 100th birthday, Hobart Smith!

Post by vanbreuk »

Hi Justin,
I know Hobart very well. Actually, he seems to be doing quite well. He wasn't doing well in 2009 or so but rebounded a bit. He wasn't using a wheel chair in 2010 and he told me he was getting off using O2. He also said he was walking around his retirement home again but that when he rode his stationary bike it was without the chain. :-) He is very lucid, responds to emails within a day, and remembers things like they were yesterday. He gave up his lab years ago (he was in his 90s!) although he and Dave Chiszar apparently still do some writing together. He used to use hearing aids but now uses this really annoying device where one has to type. Here's how he started his email to me just before his birthday: "Yes, these next 10 days or so will be rather hectic, to my dismay. I tried to keep the 100th concealed but it didn't work." Those words summarize Hobart well. It's hard not to like the guy.
Frank
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