Vince's memorial service was today. I shared the following, just as so many others and his family shared how he touched each of our hearts.
Vince was a charming, sensitive, spiritual, generous, witty man and my close, supportive, loving friend for 25 years. Our friendship began when Vince moved into room 40, the old sewing room across from my art classroom, to transform it into a computer lab for his students; this move also transitioned him into the non performing arts elective department, of which I was the department chair.
Vince and I had the same philosophy on teaching which was that you give your all, all the time, simply because you can. We didn’t do it for the accolades. We did it because our students deserved it and as incredibly creative souls, we were capable of creating unique and distinctive programs that provided students with the skills they needed to excel in our fields of expertise.
Everything Vince taught his students, he taught himself first, then enhanced it. He wanted to know what art and design concepts students needed to learn to create print and artistic visuals, so he asked if he could sit in on my art classes, took diligent notes, and then showed me the incredible computer curriculum he created to teach students these concepts.
The same is true when it came to Vince enhancing his photography skills, but in reverse. Where I had done outdoor FILM photo shoots for actors and dancers to create their composite sheets, and I could teach him about image placement, visual distractions, and point of focus, I knew very little about the intricacies of my camera and absolutely nothing about digital photo editing programs. This led to spending long hours after work sitting in his computer lab, going through his latest batches of photos, and him teaching me about camera settings, lighting, the technology he used to capture and enhance his beautiful images, and us talking about life, religion, hopes, dreams, and those we loved.
Vince was always kind and surprising and I remember walking into my classroom one day to find it completely decorated for my birthday.
Dr Norm Isaacs, the same Principal who provided Vince and me with everything we needed to create exceptional programs at Millikan Middle School, then provided both of us with the opportunity to teach at CHAMPS, which gave Vince the ultimate platform to create the Digital Media Arts Academy and curriculum that he was destined to do.
Vince’s love of learning and teaching feed his soul and consumed every aspect of his life. He felt accomplished that he could provide his students with the skills and opportunity to become Adobe certified and working photographers before they even graduated high school.
And there was still more that Vince wanted to create and accomplish in his life. Marketing and publishing his digital curriculum. A book of his scenic and portrait photography. Working as a commercial photographer. But life got in the way.
My husband Don and I assisted Vince with his recovery after his motorcycle injury, which led to Vince teaching Don about HDR photography and the two of them going on photo shoot day trips.
We also assisted Vince as he navigated his debilitating battle with liver cancer until his body could no longer sustain him. My husband and I saw Vince the day before he died, and I can tell you he is in a much better place.
For some, a lifetime is just a few years. For others, a lifetime is well into their nineties. For Vince, it was 69 years.
Always remember, and find peace in knowing, that the body is temporal, the soul immortal, and the memories eternal. Vince, now in spirit, free of his failing body, is able to move freely among us and feel the love we all have for him.
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