DR. ROBERT JOHN GIBSON
Any number of you will have crossed paths with Dr. John Gibson over the years during your trips to the Minipi.  John came several times with Dr. Richard Haedrich and worked tirelessly here, and behind the scenes in Newfoundland on all of the fishery research over the years.  Jack and I sat in silence at the news.  It was not unexpected, but yet it was, for I have never met anyone with a more positive, upbeat and enduring attitude than John, always in good humour through all the trials his health put him through in the last few years.  In some ways you always expected him to beat the odds for, well, a long time.  It didn’t put him down, or count him out, many have given up with much less in their way, but not John. John made his trips here, always cheerful, always grateful for another day and the chance to be “in the field.”  He loved to be in the field, a throw back to the days that defined his character and made him what he was.

Jack and I sat this morning thinking of our dear friend, and remarked at the wealth of knowledge now dormant.  I will always remember a beautiful summer evening with both John and Dick Haedrich on our front step and being totally spellbound with stories of some of the research he had done in his life, indeed, I have not looked at mosquitoes or ravens in the same light since, that happened to be some of the topics that evening. But no matter, they were always fun, so very interesting and always, always, filled with humour and good nature and laughter.

Dr. John, we truly will miss you, and are very grateful for the times we did get to spend with you.