Y. Matusevichi

I truly loved Roy. He was one of the few people I could connect to. I deeply appreciated his sharp intelligence, intellectual honesty, the depth of his knowledge and encyclopedic education. I remember that whatever topic I would touch, whether Russian, French or other literature, medieval or modern, philosophy, aesthetics, criticism, whatever author, movement, he knew it! There are very-very few people like this in academia. We talked a lot when he was the head of the Honors Program and I value every minute of it. It was a breath of air I desperately needed. I already felt orphaned when he retired but now I really feel like in the desert with him gone forever. I feel more sorry for myself than for him though. This world is harsh to people like him, so frank, kind and true to themselves. I felt that in his big body was a tender, fragile, sensitive soul, which is probably better off now, away from all this hypocrisy and falsehood, which made him suffer.