HOWARD BERLIN REMEMBERS DICK DOTY

I too was saddened to learn of Dick Doty’s passing in a middle of the night e-mail from Karen Lee while I was traveling in Spain. I had first met Dick at one of the ANA shows about six or so years ago while inspecting the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit. It was Karen Lee who introduced me to him. In the following years, I had seen them both when visiting the National Numismatic Collection. Like a number of curators I had met around the world, both Dick and Karen allowed me the privilege to hold in my hand from the Smithsonian’s vault many of the NMC’s rarities that regular visitors to the museum never get to see.

Because I was just in the mist of writing my forthcoming Numismatourist travel guidebook, I approached Dick if he would honor me by writing the book’s forward. For a such a book about numismatic museums, Dick was probably the best choice one could have. He agreed, but this was about 18 months ago.

When the book was finished earlier this year a little later than planned, I e-mailed Dick the manuscript, but by this time, he was undergoing treatments for lymphoma. He had felt that he might be able to write something but had other pressing concerns. I understood his situation but tried to be optimistic that he would be able to write something. Unfortunately his health deteriorated to the point where it would only be a matter of time as Karen would tell me. Around 2 a.m. of June 4 (Central European Time) I received the e-mail from Karen while in my hotel room on Spain’s Costa del Sol of the sad news.

Upon my return home, I put in a “Plan B” into effect. First, I typed out a dedication page, dedicating my book in the memory of Richard G. Doty, PhD. I felt this was best way for me to honor Dick’s memory, no longer being able to write the promised forward. Secondly, the task of writing the forward was now taken up by Karen, who had worked with Dick for many years at the Smithsonian. Both have been completed and forwarded to the publisher to be added to the book.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: FURTHER READER REMARKS ON RICHARD G. DOTY (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n25a08.html)

To read Mark Fox's obituary of Richard G. Doty, see: www.academia.edu/3738026/Richard_Doty_dies_at_age_71

Wayne Homren, Editor

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web