I think about Jonathan often - someone I thought would always be in my life and who I imagined building great things together in the future. We shared a passion for aviation and technology, and for "doing things right."

We met around 2009 when I joined MSR and he was the one-man phenom responsible for building World Wide Telescope - one of the most advanced and compelling tools to explore the galaxy. I had to learn how to talk with Jonathon - we both were so passionate that our conversations could easily go over an hour for what should have been a 5 minute check-in. The depth of his knowledge and thoughtfully shared opinions were endless on almost any subject.

The thing I loved most about Jonathan was his compassion - he deeply cared about his family, his customers and the people he worked with. After going separate ways for a few years we recently re-connected as part of the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) Chapter 84 in Snohomish, WA. I was so excited that we were both still doing our thing and really looked forward to our future together after retirement.

People like Jonathan seem to me to be bright shining comets coming through our lives in glorious fashion only to leave us in awe and wonder too soon. The shock of his passing still holds me, but I am forever grateful to have had the chance to be in the sphere of his influence.

My condolences to his family -

Mike Z

Sept 2005-June 2006

I nannied for the Fay family. I lived in the apartment above the barn in their Woodenville, WA home.

Johnny was less than one,

Lainey was two,

Halden was four,

Emily Sunshine was six,

And Joy was eight.

Johnathen was a busy man, but tried to make time for his family and cultivate their passions.

We leased 2 horses that year, Kali and Quincy, for his eldest daughter's interests. 

I cant tell you how many hours Joy and I spent loping around those trails that we could ride out from directly from the house.  How Halden would be riding behind me on Quincy as Lainey napped in front,  rocked to sleep by Quincy's gentle gait.

Jonathen booked a cruise that year that I got to join.  Halden loved planes, but was scared of flying because he always crashed the video game simulators.  You can imagine Halden's surprise when the plane didn't crash. 

I have the coolest picture of Joy and her dad holding a live sting ray together somewhere in the Caribbean. Perhaps this was where her love of aquatic life started,  or at the trip we all embarked upon to Ruby Beach as a reward for completing our sticker chart. 

Lainey loved to swim and drink chocolate milk. Emily was quiet,  thoughtful,  introverted,  taking it all in as her sister, Joy's constant companion. 

Johnny was my buddy,  he went with me everywhere on that trip,, exploring the boat with his new found crawling expertise and tasting new foods from the endless buffet. 

It was a blessing to share that experience. 

Picrures are somewhere,  hopefully i can find them. 

Jonathan Fay changed a lot of lives for the better. Mine is just one. Jonathan and I met many years ago, while attending one of both of our favorite events of the year, the American Astronomical Society (AAS) annual winter meeting, aka the Super Bowl of Astronomy.

As creator of Microsoft’s World Wide Telescope (WWT), Jonathan was a bit of a celebrity at these astronomy meetings. He loved to pilot the WWT exhibit, and was often surrounded by throngs of young enthusiasts. Everyone was and is amazed by the astounding resource he created. Dedicated to astronomical visualization for everyone, WWT involved a lifelong love that Jonathan loved to show and tell to one and all.

We hit it off instantly. We share the same favorite super cluster of galaxies, Coma of course, and share tons of other favorite things, not least of which is flying.

Building and flying the Big Tire Cruiser with his son Jamie was Jonathan’s greatest pride and joy, quite the tribute among his ample achievements. Jonathan was a truly brilliant mind. Such geniuses often have hearts and souls that feel less than, not more than, others. Not Jonathan. His heart and soul felt everything. He was as emotionally deep and wide as his intelligence. Jonathan was really superb company; never a dull moment!

We shared a lot of time together, during and after meetings hours, and enjoyed many great dinners together, often with many like-minded souls, gathered from the 3,000 like-minded souls attending. Great company.

I remember one night in particular, when Jonathan told us about crashing the car, and your brush with death. He had us all balling like babies, the bugger. We cried like we were there that night. That night changed your departed. And the way he shared that transformation with us, changed us forever too.

Our takeaway was that he worshiped and adored the ground you walk on Karen, and that he would do anything and everything, move Heaven and Earth to keep on loving you and yours with all he had.

Jonathan was above all devoted, dedicated, driven, passionate, consumed, and 100% all frigging in for his family, his friends, his projects, and for our countries, our freedom, and above all for peace and love for all.

What Jonathan would want for all of us now is to appreciate, admire, and abide by his example. Every one of us could always be just a little bit more like him. Be 100% devoted, dedicated, driven, committed. In his all too soon and sudden absence, there is surely a ton of slack that all of us alive on Earth today could start to tug on with just a little more gusto, like the maestro. Nothing would make Jonathan happier! He will be terribly missed. He will also always be remembered with love, gratitude, and a deep and abiding devotion.

I met Jonathan at a Pilots@Microsoft lunch in 2018 or 2019 back when I was considering getting a pilot's licence. He was extremely friendly and helpful, warm and generous with his time; and he remained someone I knew I could depend on for advice or encouragement.

Over the years, I grew to appreciate his kindness, thoughtfulness, friendship, and tenacity. Every meeting with him introduced me to a new facet of his personality and past; his stories were always captivating and I loved his sense of humour – did he ever put GE or RR engines on his Zenith?

His passing was most sudden and unexpected. Please accept my sincerest condolences for your loss. Jonathan was a wonderful person who left a lasting impression on everyone he met. Wishing him blue skies and tailwinds.

Long time ago in a land far, far away. So many years later I was blessed to find Jonathan again through aviation. Through him I reconnected with his older brother and met Karen. Every time Jon and Karen came to Las Vegas Jon would reach out and through those times together it was so good to share memories, interests, our lives. Kim and I will miss those times. We love you Karen.

Ivan Hoyt