Dear Friends,

Our colleague, our mentor and our dearest friend, Jerry Durlak died on Saturday. I stole this picture of him from his daughter Caitlin’s Flickr pool. The jaunty hat, the purple shirt and the slight twinkle in the eye epitomize beautifully the Jerry we all knew and loved — whip-smart, confident, full of youthful exuberance, optimistic and ever-present.  What makes CFC Media Lab the unique place it is today is largely because of Jerry’s influence. He was there in 1997 when the stables were renovated into the “electronic cottage.” And he was there to push, excite, support and mentor this young woman who had no experience building a “school” but was too terrified to let anybody know. Except Jerry. He commanded trust (and in time, one’s adoration). He doled out equal measures of insights, references, practical advice, and what may seem like non-sequiturs until you shake your head a few more times and discover that he has made a connection only he had the lightning bolt ability to make.

I will miss him very much. We will all miss him.

Please join his wife, Reccia Mandelcorn and children, Alex, Caitlin and Meagan Durlak and step-daughter, Rachel Rosen.

A Meditation Service for Jerry Durlak
Thursday May 27, 2010
11AM
The Simple Alternative
275 Lesmill Road
416-441-1580

In lieu of flowers, donations to One Laptop per Child: www.laptop.org (OLPC Foundation, P.O.Box 425087, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142) would be appreciated.

Coffee and tea will be served at the Centre before and after the ceremony.

All the best,
Ana