JON VAN WIE

[scoros]

http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=1940

[RS]

Very sad news. Didn't expect it so soon.

[Morry]

My Mom died 11 days after the cancer was detected. Having seen other family members suffer and die from it in prolonged battles, I was relieved that my Mother didn't suffer that way.

God speed to our friend Jon.

[sessionsax]

Anyone have an update on how he is doing?

[Mike Ruhl]

sessionsax - that's what the above link is to.

Apparently, Jon died yesterday, 04/02/03.

[sessionsax]

I can't believe it and I am having a hard time swalling the news. Man, this was so quick.

[MBushaw]

Sorry for this double (triple if you include newsgroups) posting.
It is important to me.

Everybody who has a piece that Jon touched-
Every time I play one of Jon's pieces I think how lucky I am to be playing
that piece.
Tonight, when I play I will be sending my thoughts out to the ether-
If we all do this, maybe the universe will know that a great man has left us
and has joined in their community. Let's make a joyful noise in Jon's honor.

I've always felt that Jon didn't charge enough for the magic he performed.
I'm sending what I think I owe Jon for all the pleasure he brought to my
playing.

Jon Van Wie
60 Orange Street
Waverly, NY 14892

Mark Bushaw

[Bootman]

Very sad news and the best thing is that he didn't suffer in pain for too long. We have lost one of the Gentleman of the music business. Very sad news. He was such a rgeat pleasure to know and to talk too.

[Lenny]

He was a real gentleman and an artist. Its hard to fathon the way life works sometimes. I guess we now know why he didn't want to bother with chemo, it must have been so advanced that it wasn't worth ruining his last few months.
I play on a Link that Jon did his magic to. The very day I got it in the mail I was comparing it to another Link and dropped Jon's tip first on a piano bench. Bent the hell out of it. I was so depressed.
I sent Jon the pictures and got an excited email back from him. "Wow! Those are the best photos of tip damage I've ever seen. I'll repair it for free if I can use your before and after pics on the web site!" Amazingly, it played even better after it came back the second time.
He really cared about every mouthpiece and player he worked on no matter who you were, and always took the time to answer questions in great detail.
I wonder about his family and whether they are in financial need right now. Would it be possible to take up a collection through SOTW? Maybe that's a question for Harry.
Anybody have thoughts about how that could be done?

[elo]

condolences to his family

[aanz]

Mark, that is a beautiful thing to do.
A friend of mine was just diagnosed with cancer and is not expected to last long. He is an artist and musician so obviously doesn't have alot of money or any insurance. We threw a benefit to help him and his wife and little girl. It's so sad to see a family go through this and on top of it have the financial struggles add even more worry to the situation.

[Teddy]

I never had the chance to meet him but he was thoughtfull enough to call me about a couple of old Links I sent him.I guess I was lucky to get to converse with him-It turned into quite a conversation,He did a great job on them and was fascinated about how I got them etc.I told him"take your time John" and my neice who was getting her lesson was amazed that the "Mouthpeice Man" had actually called.He then told me "thank God you're normal-some of these customers are too much"A very fine artist he was........Peace to you and your Family John

[chrisr]

Jon was a beautiful soul.

He worked on a couple of my pieces a few years ago. His craftsmanship and service are impeccable. You have to see and play his work to appreciate how good he is.

His talent and highest business ethics are not what made him a beautiful soul, however. It was the fact that you could talk to him for the first time via e-mail, and he could make you feel like his long lost best friend. Someone once said that you don't always remember what someone says to you, but you do remember how they make you feel. You always felt good after talking to Jon - that's the way he was.

I remember talking to him once (through this forum) about how bummed he was because his evil, vindictive neighbor had done some terrible things to his cat (I believe the cat died). Jon was not bitter towards his neighbor, but rather pittied him for being such a sad soul that he would treat an animal that way.

I remember the e-mail I got from him after I bragged proudly on this forum that my son was born on Coltrane's birthday - he was as excited as I was!

The Lord seems to take the good ones early.

Rest in Peace Jon - I hear there are no bad reeds in heaven!

[jazzmasta123]

who the heck is that guy??? :guns: :A-Run: :?:

[T-MAN]

I'm assuming the guy who killed Jon's cat...