Dear Dr Gerrit,
Am saddened and sorry to hear about this tragic loss of a brilliant fellow
in the field of crop modelling.
My deepest condolence to his family and God Bless
William
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerrit Hoogenboom" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 11:30 AM
Subject: Tragic Loss of Crop Modeler/PhD Candidate at UF
> DSSAT Listserv Members:
>
> Sadly, I am informing all of you that one of our graduate students,
> McNair Bostick, passed away one week ago, on August 28, 2006. Many of
> you knew him personally and others through his work. He and his
> co-workers developed the data sharing component on the ICASA web site.
>
> He also has contributed strongly to the recent development and
> evaluation of DSSAT components, particularly those related to ET,
> soil water balance, and plant phosphorus. I was Chair of his PhD
> Committee. In his PhD research, he developed ways to integrate crop
> and/or soil models with observations to improve estimates of soil
> carbon and changes in soil carbon over time. He and co-workers
> published one paper on this recently and he has completed another one
> that we will submit and publish. He would have completed his PhD
> degree in December of this year, and was considering various options
> for post doc or academic/research positions in the USA and abroad.
> For those of you who
> knew him through his research and through contacts in my lab or at
> ASABE or ASA meetings, you may not know that he was also very active
> in his community, serving as mayor of the student housing facilities.
> The outpouring of love and admiration for him has been very
> impressive, clearly indicating the quality of person he was at work,
> in his family life, and in his social life. His wife (Carmen) and son
> (Luca, 9 months old) will miss him so much, so please keep them in
> your thoughts and prayers. He accomplished a lot during his short
> life, and was truly an emerging star in our research area. During the
> past week, I have also met and interacted with his parents (Welch and
> Sara Jane Bostick, his sister (Julie), and Carmen's parents from
> Spain. They will also miss him so much.
>
> I will always remember McNair and hope that his life and
> accomplishments will serve as models for other graduate students to
> follow. I have included below additional information that was sent
> out to many people and his obituary from the local newspaper. We will
> soon post this information and a picture on the ICASA Web Site.
>
> McNair's family is asking that donations be sent in his memory from
> all who wish to do so. They have chosen two different options, the
> University of Florida Foundation (to honor McNair through our
> department) or to help pay his son's college education. Details are as
follows:
>
> 1. The Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department,
> c/o The University of Florida Foundation, Inc., PO Box
> 14425;Gainesville, FL 32604-2425. Please mention the McNair Bostick
> Memorial on your checks to the ABE department/UF Foundation so that
> those funds can be used to commemorate McNair in some way (such as
> scholarship).
>
> 2. The education fund for his son, Luca, at: Bank of
> America,Private Bank,
> 101 North Main Street; Greenville, SC 29601, FBO Luca Bostick-Valero
> Education Fund.
>
> The family will be informed of all donations, and they will
> appreciate your contributions to McNair's memory.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Jim Jones
>
> James W. Jones
> Distinguished Professor
> Agricultural & Biological Engineering Department
> University of Florida
> PO Box 110570, 289 Frazier Rogers Hall
> Gainesville, FL 32611
> E-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Tele: (352) 392-1864 ext 289
> Fax: (352) 392 4092
>
> Other statements about McNair
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------
> The Crop Modeling and Simulation Laboratory at the University of
> Florida lost an outstanding PhD student and friend, McNair Bostick.
> He would have graduated this December with his PhD degree in
> Agricultural and Biological Engineering. McNair was riding his
> bicycle toward home on Sunday, August 27, when an automobile struck
> him from behind. McNair was in the bike lane wearing a helmet, but
> the driver of the automobile was apparently distracted and drove into
> the bike lane striking McNair from
> behind. He was severely injured but awake when the ambulance took him
> to Shands Hospital on the University of Florida campus.
> Unfortunately, his injuries were too severe and the doctors could not
> stop all of the internal bleeding. We are all devastated by this
> loss, and our thoughts and prayers remain with his wonderful family.
> He was married to Carmen Valero-Aracama and he also leaves behind
> their 9-month old son Luca Bostick-Valero.
>
> McNair had a huge impact on the University of Florida in the Crop
> Modeling and Simulation Laboratory, working under Dr. James W. Jones.
> He excelled in his studies and research, and he was loved and
> respected by all students and faculty who knew him. He was always
> giving support to new students and visitors in the lab and also was
> one of the most respected residents of student housing, providing
> leadership in both places. His research focused on the integration of
> crop and soil models with field and remote sensing measurements for
> assessing crop production and soil carbon benefits to farmers and
> society. He was truly one of the emerging stars in this area of
> research. His untimely and tragic death leaves a big void in many
> lives and in our profession.
>
> McNair's family is asking that donations be sent in his memory from
> all who wish to do so. They have chosen two different options:
>
> 1. The Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, c/o The
> University of Florida Foundation, Inc., PO Box 14425;Gainesville, FL
> 32604-2425. Please mention the McNair Bostick Memorial on your checks
> to the ABE department/UF Foundation so that those funds can be used
> to commemorate McNair in some way (such as scholarship).
>
> 2. The education fund for his son, Luca, at: Bank of America,
> Private Bank, 101 North Main Street; Greenville, SC 29601, FBO Luca
> Bostick-Valero Education Fund.
>
> Below is the obituary from the Sunday, September 3, 2006 paper.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
> Welch McNair Bostick, III, age 34, died at Shands Hospital in
> Gainesville, Florida on August 28, 2006. His death resulted from
> injuries received in a bicycle accident. McNair was born in
> Charlotte, NC, grew up in Greenville, SC and was a member of the
> Greenville ARP Church.
>
> McNair was a student in the Department of Agriculture and Biological
> Engineering at the University of Florida and would have received his
> doctorate later this year. He completed his Bachelor Degree and
> Masters Degree in Agricultural Engineering at Clemson University,
> graduating with honors. He also did post-graduate work at Chiba
> University in Matsudo, Japan. During his time at the University of
> Florida, he served as mayor in resident housing at University Village
South.
>
> McNair was a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend to many.
> He was passionate about his work at the university and spending time
> with his family. His hobbies included gardening, cycling and underwater
hockey.
>
> He is survived by his wife, Carmen Valero Aracama, and nine-month old
> son, Luca Bostick-Valero of Gainesville, FL; his parents, Welch and
> Sara Jane Bostick of Greenville, SC; and sister, Julie Elizabeth
> Bostick of Boone, NC. A memorial service was held on Wednesday August
> 30th in the Bamboo Garden at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in
> Gainesville. A service will be held in his memory in the Greenville,
> SC area at a later time.
>
> Memorials may be sent to: The Agricultural and Biological Engineering
> Department, c/o The University of Florida Foundation, Inc., PO Box
> 14425;Gainesville, FL 32604-2425; or to the education fund for his
> son, Luca, at: Bank of America, Private Bank, 101 North Main Street;
> Greenville, SC 29601, FBO Luca Bostick-Valero Education Fund.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
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