Henry Howard Hagedorn

California

Alaska

Henry Hagedorn

December '13 in Chicago

I first met Henry when I was a Master student in Wageningen and he visited us while he was on sabbatical in Germany in 1980. I was very impressed by his work on the egg development neurohormone in mosquitoes. Even though I could write a lot more about his scientific achievements, which are often underestimated, I will mostly remember Henry for his enormous generosity. Henry often used the term doctors father to refer to a PhD supervisor. I often felt he was a postdoctoral father to me, forgiving my failures and stimulating me in my scientific endeavors. Coming from social democratic Europe, I had a somewhat hostile vision of the US, very capitalistic and often inhumane when I first arrived in Ithaca. It was really Henry who showed me a totally different face of the US, by simply telling my how much he would give to United Way every year. He made me realize that it does not have to be the state who takes care of the poor and needy, but that every individual can do his own part in helping to diminish suffering. Although I think the state has a role to play, I am very grateful to him for pointing out there is really no excuse for doing nothing yourself. Henry was a real altruist and when you see someone like that almost everyday for a number of years you get infected by the same virus, even though viruses sometimes have a long incubation time. Henry was always open for discussion, any subject you were interested in, politics, science, family and even if your view was totally different from his, discussions always stayed pleasant and respectful. Without realizing it he did not only teach insect physiology but also how one could be good person. I have met very few people like Henry in my life and so he has made an ever lasting impression and I feel very privileged to have known this wonderful man. I was deeply saddened by Henry's death and my most sincere condolences go to Mag, Michael and Katrina.