What is the Legacy of PF Member Jim Hardy?

[George Jones]

As someone whose deepest interests lie in the application of abstract mathematics to theoretical physics, it might seem that the set of events at which my Physics Forums worldline intersected Jim's PF worldline would be empty. This is certainly not the case,

Since early high school, I have had a hobbyists's interest in electricity and electronics. Jim combined a hobbyist's enthusiasm and interest with a professional's practical and theoretical knowledge in a way that few are able to do. With respect to Jim's posts, I played the role of PF lurker, i.e., I gained knowledge by reading the Tutor's posts.

RIP, Jim

 

[scottdave]

This is sad news. I always appreciated his insight and the care he showed when responding to a question. R.I.P. Jim

 

[hutchphd]

Jim Hardy's one page explanation of how the power grid works was the reason I joined this forum. It was as clear an exposition as could be imagined. I am saddened to lose that perfectly pitched voice, and such a kind and gentle human.

 

[Guineafowl]

I will remember many things about him:

1. “A question well stated is half answered”.
2. His efforts to explain difficult concepts simply, and his doodling with MS Paint on pictures.
3. Restoring old machines gives you things you can’t afford new, and honours the hard work of the builders.
4. A deep knowledge built on seeing electronics progress from tubes to solid state. It’s hard to teach that.
5. “Ah, good. Jim’s posted in that thread. I’m about to learn something new.”

I even asked him once when his electronics textbook will be published. He thanked me for the compliment, explaining, in his humble way, that his knowledge was not up to scratch.

Humility, knowledge, understanding, patience. RIP Old Jim.

 

[Guineafowl]

Jim Hardy's one page explanation of how the power grid works was the reason I joined this forum. It was as clear an exposition as could be imagined. I am saddened to lose that perfectly pitched voice, and such a kind and gentle human.

Do you have a link? I’d like to read that.

 

[hutchphd]

I tried to find it earlier but without success. As I recall it was contained in a response to someone trying to sync maybe windmills to the grid. I joined Nov 2017 so prior to and maybe just prior to that date. I will look again more carefully.

 

[fresh_42]

Maybe somewhere in here?
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/power-grid-generator-questions.952724/page-2#post-6037638or this one
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/power-grid-generator-questions.952724/page-2#post-6037529

 

[dlgoff]

His wife just passed away recently. I wonder if that contributed. So sad.

R.I.P. Jim.

My thought exactly. The last time he was visiting me, we talked about our "love of my life". It was Anne for him for sure.

 

[dlgoff]

Here are a couple of pictures from 2017. Jim and his wife Fair Anne, met up with me and my wife Libby in Grand Forks, Kentucky to watch the eclipse. We all had a wonderful time, and our scientific minds were stimulated.

Jim talked to me about meeting you there. He was thrilled, not only for seeing the eclipse, but mostly knowing, and I quote, "such a nice guy".

 

[Dr Transport]

Words cannot describe my sadness, he and I had many exchanges, all were positive. He was a true PF'er, always had a good thing to say and his loss cannot be replaced, I feel for his family, they were truly blessed and so were we.

 

[hutchphd]

Do you have a link? I’d like to read that.

There are so many good ones...searching was great...it might have been https://www.physicsforums.com/posts/3815542/

 

[SammyS]

Rest in Peace, Jim !

 

[DennisN]

I am very sad to hear @jim hardy has passed away.
I crossed paths with him many times in several places on the forum.
For instance, I enjoyed his posts in the "Favorite songs" thread and the "Beauty of old electrical and measuring things" thread, and I enjoyed his photos of various technology in PF photo contest threads, for instance this one.
My condolences to all of his near ones.

 

[dlgoff]

You can tell Jim was brilliant from this picture of his office when he worked at a nuclear power plant.

 

[mesa]

Oh my gosh, he will certainly be missed.

 

[Dr.D]

You can tell Jim was brilliant from this picture of his office when he worked at a nuclear power plant.

View attachment 246292

This reminds me a lot of the house where Jim and Anne lived! Same "arrangement."

 

[lucas_]

Sad to hear of Jim passing. He convinced me that electricity didn't go to the ground (soil) but return to source in the utility transformers (the ground is only used as conductor). Maybe it can be applied to Life as well. Life doesn't go to the ground (6 feet under) but return to Source (of wherever we all came from). Rest in Peace Jim (in the Source or Beyond where someday we are all destined to be).

 

[Charles Link]

Jim was so knowledgeable, and yet so humble. He was our best source for electrical engineering expertise. I will miss him.

 

[cnh1995]

I always wondered about his expertise in so many fields. A wonderful soul I never had the opportunity to meet in person!

Jim's insightful explanations, filled with practical hands-on experience and some funny acecdotes really helped when I was struggling with my studies, and I started loving the topics I was initially afraid of. This was a major confidence-boost for me.
Jim is the reason I kept coming back to PF for several months after joining. I considered him as one of the giant pillars of the EE sub-forum.

I will miss his insightful responses, funny yet informative technical diagrams, witty catch-phrases and his signature!
It is painful to imagine PF without old jim!

Good Bye Sir, you are dearly missed!

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Sad to hear of Jim passing. He convinced me that electricity didn't go to the ground (soil) but return to source in the utility transformers (the ground is only used as conductor). Maybe it can be applied to Life as well. Life doesn't go to the ground (6 feet under) but return to Source (of wherever we all came from). Rest in Peace Jim (in the Source or Beyond where someday we are all destined to be).

Reminds me of Tennyson's poem Crossing the bar:

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

 

[256bits]

Sad news.
Condolences to his loved ones.

 

[jaus tail]

He always helped me with my doubts, even the simplest ones. He was very patient, replied to all my queries, and was a great teacher to me. A motivation for me to keep studying and keep thinking.
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Thank you, Jim, for all the help you gave me.

 

[fog37]

Rest in Peace, Jim Hardy.
Thank you for all your help and patience. My greatest respect to you.

 

[NTL2009]

I was saddened and a bit shocked to read of his passing, since he had posted recently.

Our interests intersected, and he was probably the first poster here whose name stuck with me as someone to listen to and learn from (there have been quite a few more since, this is a great forum). He will be missed.

Beyond his in-depth knowledge of so many areas, what really stood out to me was the effort he put into a post to help someone else out. Some of the posters were way behind, and it would get tedious, but he would persevere, as long as the poster appeared sincere in their desire to learn. I try to emulate that, I mostly do a poor job, but Jim's memory will live on, and hopefully inspire me to maintain a bit more patience with others.

I also had to chuckle about his knowledge of prices and availability of odds and ends at thrift stores or scrap metal and junk yards, sometimes telling a poster something like "you can use the motor out of a cordless drill for that project, you'll find dozens of them for 50 cents at the thrift store!".

RIP, and condolences to friends and family.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

For those (if any) who are not familiar with Jim:
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/interview-instrument-engineer-jim-hardy/

 

[chwala]

May he rest in peace.

 

[Guineafowl]

For those (if any) who are not familiar with Jim:
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/interview-instrument-engineer-jim-hardy/

That made me remember another Jim Hardy gem:

“The grid is a machine and when politicians mess with machinery they generally do it harm.”

You can replace “the grid” with many other forms of machinery - a great maxim that gives others pause for thought in a discussion.

 

[Abdullah Almosalami]

What! I can't believe it. Oh my God. I loved his replies to my questions so much and he always seemed humble and genuinely cared about learning and making everyone around him learn. Oh what a loss! That is terrible news!

Rest in peace Jim. :(

 

[marcusl]

He was a true gentleman and a gem. My sincere condolences to the family.

 

[ArcHorizon]

Rest in Peace. Let the Science lie by you in the calm mind of God.
I praise to the lord that you will be accepted as his brain and a helper.

Amen

 

[Ssnow]

Condolence to family and friends.
Ssnow

 

[sysprog]

His wife just passed away recently. I wonder if that contributed. So sad.

R.I.P. Jim.

Aaaaa Old Jim we loved him it hurts yes it's known and proven that a spouse is likely to pass soon after his/her beloved life partner passes -- may Old Jim be commended to all that brought him into being -- he will be sorely missed.

 

[Zahid Iftikhar]

Very sad demise---- What a nice fellow he was. Just saw his snap and was impressed by his great personality. I wish his soul rest in peace. That is the destiny of all of us. Sooner or later we are bound to die. Let,s spend this time in serving the humanity, respecting each other regardless of our race, color, language, geography etc. etc. Sorry death news make me emotional sometimes.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Very sad demise---- What a nice fellow he was. Just saw his snap and was impressed by his great personality. I wish his soul rest in peace. That is the destiny of all of us. Sooner or later we are bound to die. Let,s spend this time in serving the humanity, respecting each other regardless of our race, color, language, geography etc. etc. Sorry death news make me emotional sometimes.

I support that. We are, before nationality, religion, or anything else, humans. Let us pledge to make sure that humanity doesn't get wiped off from this world.

 

[Muhammad Usman]

It is with profound sadness that I must report that we've learned legendary PF brother @jim hardy passed away earlier this week. Jim was loved by countless members here and was an incredibly positive force for the community and all our outside readers. A genuine man, we always paid close attention to his posts as we knew they were full of Insight. Rest in Peace jim! You will always be remembered here as a legend. PF and our engineering forums will not be the same. His efforts here live on! Please feel free to give your thanks here and share a memory.

He actually helped me in one of my question. So sad that he is passed away