Remembering Jack Randall Remembering Jack Randall Menu Remembering Jack Randall The World of Science has lost a Giant. http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall John Ernest “Jack” Randall, Jr., will forever be remembered among the greats of ichthyology, taxonomy, nomenclature and exploratory research. Whether you knew Jack personally, or only knew of him, his family would be very grateful if you could share your thoughts, memories, musings, and photos about how he touched your life. No matter how long or brief your comments are, they are all welcome and greatly appreciated. http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall If you don’t see your comment posted immediately, don’t worry! It will be added as soon as we review it to remove spam postings. 326 replies on “Remembering Jack Randall” Richard L. Pyle April 29, 2020 at 7:16 am Aloha friends, colleagues, and fellow fish-lovers. It is going to take me some time to process what it means to live in a world without my advisor, my mentor, my dive buddy and my friend. Nothing I can say here even remotely captures the enormity of what I owe to Jack. I have known him since I was seventeen years old, and he has been a major part of my life ever since. I have many, MANY fond and cherished memories that I look forward to sharing with everyone through this web page. For now, my thoughts are entirely with Helen, Lori, Rodney, Sandy, Sean, and the rest of Jack’s family. This website was set up to allow everyone who Jack influenced in some way to share their memories, musings, and photos. Please feel free to post multiple times, if you wish. I know I will add more thoughts and photos to this site, after I have some time to reflect. I’m sure what I read here will inspire me, and I hope it inspires you as well. Don’t be shy! Helen and the rest of the Randall ‘Ohana will greatly appreciate anything you are willing to share! Brian Greene http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall April 29, 2020 at 7:46 am October 30, 2015 Brian Greene April 29, 2020 at 7:48 am July 16th, 2018 Brian Greene April 29, 2020 at 8:13 am June 14th, 2017 http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall Yi-Kai Tea (Lemon) April 29, 2020 at 8:28 am I first met Jack in 2015, a year before I started my career in fish taxonomy and systematics. We had sushi in his living room, together with his wife Helen, and friends Richard Pyle and Rufus Kimura. We’ve kept in close contact since, and over the years I’m humbled to have been able to call him a colleague and a friend. I would be here today without his influence. Rest well Jack. Mahalo, from all of your friends. http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall Tony Gill April 29, 2020 at 8:43 am I met Jack back when I was a student in the 1980s. He encouraged me in my interests in fish taxonomy, and always had time for a chat when he called by the Australian Museum. About a third of my early papers were coauthored with Jack, including my first paper, and many of my other papers were illustrated with his photos, or relied heavily on specimens he had collected. It is hard to think of a group of Indo-Pacific fishes for which Jack hadn’t contributed significantly to our taxonomic understanding. His passing marks the end of an era. Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara April 29, 2020 at 8:50 am Jack I will treasure the memories of our exchanges concerning taxonomy of the genus Mobula. You have been for me an inspiration and a source of knowledge http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall that is now part of my permanent baggage. Prof. A Biju Kumar April 29, 2020 at 9:02 am What an extraordinary scientist! He inspired the ichthyologists throughout the world and more importantly the youngsters, who approached him for getting the fish identified. The revolution he brought in ichthyology, by incorporating high quality ‘live’ pictures, most of which are now available in FishBase, will remain for ever, as testimony to his contributions, besides hundreds of species bearing his name. Even during the later periods of his life, a picture sent to him was an excitement for him, as reflected in the immediate and prompt reply and he always directed me to contract appropriate persons, if he could not do the business. It is indeed a great loss for the ichthyologists across the world……May his soul rest in peace and ignite enthusiasm in the budding taxonomists….. Kent Elson Sorgon April 29, 2020 at 9:03 am I never got to meet Dr. Randall but his books and publications have contributed a great deal to inspiring me to pursue fish taxonomy (although I’m still a novice at it). From the shores of the Philippines, thank you very much, and rest well, Dr. John Randall. Malcolm Francis April 29, 2020 at 9:08 am I have been thinking about Jack a lot recently as I have been referring – as I often do – to his monumental book “Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific.” Jack’s book is one of my most treasured possessions, and every time I use it I am filled with admiration for the depth and breadth of his knowledge. This week I wanted to identify a species of fish from Niue that was in one of my http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall old photos – so out came Jack’s book. Jack – you were a legend. It was an honour to know you. Phil Light April 29, 2020 at 9:09 am I had the honor of meeting Jack only once, at the Bishop Museum, around 1979. I had just returned from working as a research technician at Enewetak Atoll, and doing some fish collecting in Micronesia. I was describing some of my diving experiences to him, but I could tell he was starting to lose interest in my relatively mundane stories. When I mentioned an extremely large shark I had seen in murky water in one of the passes in Yap though, he perked right up. It may have been a whale shark or possibly a Tiger, it was too far away to tell, but Jack was immediately interested in the details of the encounter. I learned later that he was a legend with the military personell on Enewetak for catching a very large Tiger in the main pass there, and preserving the jaws for the museum. Ronald Fricke April 29, 2020 at 9:12 am http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall Goodbye Jack — you’ll ever stay with us in memory and spirit, and tropical Indo- Pacific fish taxonomy will always be connected with your name. Hope you will have many good dives where you are now … Dawn Goebbels April 29, 2020 at 9:20 am I never met Jack personally but we had considerable e-mail correspondence, him in Hawaii and me in Kenya. Not only did we discuss fish but our families, including my up-and-coming then 3-year-old marine biologist. Between our e-mail exchanges and reading his memoirs I feel like he was a personal friend. That’s the kind of man he was. Nuno Vasco Rodrigues April 29, 2020 at 9:24 am I never had the pleasure of knowing Jack personally but he has always been a reference as fish lover. I followed his work since much before I become a marine http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall biologist and was always impressed on his amazing discoveries. My thoughts go to Jack’s family at this moment. Farewell Jack! You will be greatly missed. Hiroyuki Motomura April 29, 2020 at 9:29 am I am sorry to hear about Jack’s passing. I first met Jack in 2000 when I was a PhD student and met him every IPFC and in Hawaii. Although I met him only several times, we frequently communicated each other with emails. I counted emails between us and found more than 800 emails in my email box and the last one from Jack was on 17 Jan. 2020. He told me about a mental attitude toward fish taxonomy in addition to about joint researches. Publishing a paper on Neosebastes in Jack’s journal, Indo-Pacific Fishes, with his advice is one of my best experience. Many fishes were still waited for you to be named… May he rest in peace. http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall Hiroyuki Motomura April 29, 2020 at 9:31 am at BPBM in Hawaii Joe Kizhakudan April 29, 2020 at 9:34 am Dr Jack We will miss you Your passion and sincerity will be several milestones in the history of our science .Legends don’t leave they dwell eternal Thank you so much Rest well Hiroshi Senou April 29, 2020 at 9:39 am In the 1980s, I learned from a number of his taxonomic works how important http://jerlegacy.com/[2/22/2021 7:06:43 AM] Remembering Jack Randall color photographs of fresh specimens and under water photographs are to fish taxonomy.