Friday, October 31, 2014
In Memoriam: Pieter Roskam
I have just learned about the departure of my good friend Pieter Roskam.
I have not known Pieter for long - it was our mutual passion for berets that brought us together, four of five years ago and since then, we have developed a strong friendship by correspondence - there being 20.000 kilometers between us.
I got to know Pieter as a man of strong passions and being extremely faithful to those passions. One of these passions were berets, or more specifically: Bordeaux coloured berets. Well, everything about, or on, Pieter was Bordeaux - from socks to pants to jacket to beret.
Pieter was a talented man; an artist, photographer, wine merchent, who managed to live a life with Asperger in a way that I can only admire: he stayed himself, did what he thought he needed to do and enjoyed life to the full.
Pieter had been troubled by cancer for many years and took a very active role in fighting the disease, becoming an expert on various treatments himself. But, it was a loosing battle and we knew it. I am happy for Pieter to have gone in the way he did, confident and in peace.
It is the people who are left behind that will find it hard to accept he is no longer among us. I'll be wearing my Tarte Alpin in Bordeaux today...
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Condolences to those who knew him; praises to him as a model of accepting our own uniqueness; and thank you, Daan, for sharing him with us.
ReplyDeleteThat is the nicest comment I have ever found on this blog... Thanks Rick.
DeleteDaan
Although I only knew Pieter through this blog, I wore my bordeaux beret this day....
ReplyDeleteBoris
Thanks Boris. I really like that!
DeleteWas Pieter's liking for bordeaux coloured berets and clothing connected at all to his occupation as a wine merchant (selling Bordeaux wine among others)? Or did he just like the colour?
ReplyDeleteI've never owned a bordeaux beret but after seeing the photos of him in his, I intend to buy one. And when I wear it I'll think of him.
Nice one - thank you.
ReplyDeleteNo, not directly with his 'occupation', but it did come forth from a love for Bordeaux wines (and not just a love for drinking it; he was passionate about Bordeaux and knew everything about the wines).
It slowly came on and went further and further, until he decided to wear nothing but Bordeaux.
Well, I'm happy to inform you we went to his funeral yesterday, 6 of his good friends carrying him (me amongst them). We were all wearing one of his maroon berets and it was a memorable service. Really outstanding.
ReplyDeleteKind regards, Louis
Thank you. Great to hear - just wish I could have been with you myself.
DeleteThis reminds me of the poem "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple". Be unique, be true to yourself and don't worry about fitting in - stand out!
ReplyDelete