In Memoriam Jim West

The ancient Greek astronomer and philosopher Heraclitus says that the sun, moon, and stars are bowls of fire facing the earth. The soul, too, is made of fire: flickering, flaring, spreading its warmth. It is the animating force simultaneously constant and ever-changing, yearning toward its brethren in the celestial sphere.

Jim loved the stars. Jim loved people, too. He had a quick mind that so often expressed itself as quick wit. When said with honesty, there is no higher praise of a man's life than this: We will miss him.

I knew Jim through HP. He was active in the Chef and Jenkins communities, as well as in HP Cloud and OpenStack. Jim was a leader in the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society. They have information about his wake memorial service.