Roy was my colleague and friend, although I didn't know him as well as I would have liked. That happens with busy people.
The simplest and most encompassing comment I can make about the man I knew is that Roy Bird helped people. He didn't do it to gain accolades or draw attention to himself but because he could and believed that he should.
I watched Roy voluntarily take on several tough assignments – often simultaneously -- and calm some pretty rough waters. Roy mentored me as I progressed through my career at UAF, pointing out the many ropes that he had become entangled in and suggesting which ones I might want to avoid. He helped make the honors house a welcoming and nurturing place for students. He helped found and lead the faculty union. He led his own department with distinction and took the helm of another, even more fractious department, when no one else would.
He was missed at UAF as soon as he retired. He will be missed by his friends from this point forward.
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