I just received an e-mail from the family of Royce Hagan, ex-GM-worker-turned-expediter for a few years, and author of many posts here. Sadly, this letter informed me that Royce passed away early this morning in the hospital after a long struggle with many ills.
I only got to know Royce right at the very end-- I came here as a GM employee facing layoff to evaluate the possibility of taking up van expediting as a second career, and Royce went _far_ out of his way to help me along until I finally decided the move was impractical for me. (I may've come to this judgment prematurely, which is why I'm still lurking.) He was a good friend to me, in other words, and I suspect to many of the rest of you (and probably thousands of others over a long life) as well.
Royce's last e-mail before he entered the hospital was pleasant, positive, and upbeat. Clearly he was still full of fight and the joy of life. Yet he had to know that his condition was life-threatening-- I certainly did. To me, this bravery will be what I always remember most about the man, and will serve as a template for my own approach to such things if/when I ever have to face the same moment in life.
At any rate, I reckoned his brother and sister expediters would like to know of his passing. He seemed to enjoy being part of this community very much indeed. And I can certainly understand why.
I only got to know Royce right at the very end-- I came here as a GM employee facing layoff to evaluate the possibility of taking up van expediting as a second career, and Royce went _far_ out of his way to help me along until I finally decided the move was impractical for me. (I may've come to this judgment prematurely, which is why I'm still lurking.) He was a good friend to me, in other words, and I suspect to many of the rest of you (and probably thousands of others over a long life) as well.
Royce's last e-mail before he entered the hospital was pleasant, positive, and upbeat. Clearly he was still full of fight and the joy of life. Yet he had to know that his condition was life-threatening-- I certainly did. To me, this bravery will be what I always remember most about the man, and will serve as a template for my own approach to such things if/when I ever have to face the same moment in life.
At any rate, I reckoned his brother and sister expediters would like to know of his passing. He seemed to enjoy being part of this community very much indeed. And I can certainly understand why.
