It is with a very heavy heart that I must convey that a dear friend and colleague to many of us, Tony MacKay, passed away on March 17, 2020, St. Patrick's Day. I am sure there are many of you who knew Tony and have fond memories to share.

There is a lovely obituary and personal notes of remembrance here: in memory of Tony.

I was privileged to know Tony for close to 20 years, first as a fellow DISD attendee and later as a colleague when Tony joined us at Anasazi Software (now part of Cerner Corporation), right up to the present.

Can any of us forget the memorable and always humorous presentations with which he graced us at so many DISD conferences? Some may know and remember that he was a selfless volunteer for many years in making so many DISD conferences the successful and positive experiences that they were and continue to be today.

I will always treasure memories of the guitar jam sessions that were irrepressible once Tony learned there was another musician in the vicinity--which was quite often, of course. He always made the new participants or observers in any group feel so welcomed, so comfortable to join. This was not just limited to social gatherings--I have observed this same spirit in recent years welcoming and mentoring new developers (or new to our team), showing them the Dataflex ropes. To me, there is no greater measure of one's contribution to humanity than the generosity one shares with others. No one can accuse Tony of stinginess on this count!

I will be sharing this post with Tony's wife, Karen, who kindly granted permission and encouraged me to share this news with you. Feel free to share your own memories here or on the obituary page linked above.

I wish for your soul, my dear friend, Tony, peace and wonder as you continue your eternal journey!