Dick Straub has passed away

[jarkko]

Dick in New York in 2014


We’ve got heartbreaking news from New Jersey. Our dear friend Dick Straub passed away at home yesterday, at the age of 80.

Eija and I have had wonderful and memorable moments together with Dick and Linda – we saw so many countries and places together, starting from the small-scale Cohen-gathering in Paris in 1999, followed a visit to their home and trip to Montreal in 2000. In the next years we travelled together in a dozen countries. Our last meeting was in Spring 2019 when we met at the Cohen exhibition in New York, at the Jewish Museum.

So many fond memories. Our thoughts are with you Linda.

Rest in Peace, and thank you for everything you brought into our lives, Dear Friend

Love
Eija and Jarkko

[199Dan]

My condolences to Linda and to all Dick's friends.

[Geoffrey]

this has made me very sad. i never met dick, but we had a lot of contact over a long period. i liked him a lot, as i believe did everyone who knew him. how awful to get such news

[B4real]

Oh dear! So unhappy to hear this! Dick contributed so much to this forum and Leonard.
My condolences to his family and friends. R.I.P.
... one by one we go ....

[Cate]

I'm very sorry to hear this.
My condolences to Linda and all who loved him.

[oldfriend28]

My sincere condolences to all who knew and loved Dick. Very thankful for his life and for having him involved in this forum.

[Joe Way]

We will miss Dick so much. Anne and I were talking today about how Dick showed us his favorite parts of New York City. He was so fun to be with. We send our deep condolences to Linda. Rest In Peace, Dick.

[MarieM]

Dick was a friend to everyone and always up for an adventure. He was also a longtime leader in the Cohen community helping to organize many Cohen meet ups, big and small. He was the driving force behind the Chelsea Hotel plaque to Leonard.

He was my friend and I will miss him. Condolences to Linda and to his family. Dick will be very missed.

[Henning]

So sorry to hear about Dick gone. Dick and Linda were the first people we met from the Leonard Cohen fanweb world. In 1999 they landed in Frankfurt and stayed in a hotel before I picked them up and brought them to our house where they stayed for a couple of days. I remember we visited the Paul McCartney paintings exhibition in Siegen. We weren't impressed much. In the following years we shared many wonderful moments together whenever there was a meet up in the name of Leonard Cohen. Rest in peace, good friend.

[Maarten]

Friends

This is such sad news... I always thought of Dick as one of the original gang who seemed to be around forever and would never leave: ever present although not always in the spotlight of the attention. He was a humble and wise guy and Linda and he seemed to fit together perfectly. I'm sure he will be deeply missed by so many friends, family and Cohenites around the world.

My deepest condolences to Linda and friends and family for this loss...

Maarten

[margaret]

Sorry to read this. Dick was one of the first members of the Leonard Cohen community that I met, at the event in New York in 2004. Such a lovely man.
My sincere condolences to Linda and all his family and friends.
R.I.P. Dick

[dar]

Something sent me to the forum today although I haven't checked it in many months. It surely was the spirit of our fellow Cohenite Dick Straub. He had such an amazing sense of humor (Big Dick) and a personality that kept this forum focused and fun (his affinity for all things au naturale). I remember so many wonderful interactions with him although I hadn't stayed in touch with him or Linda. They both travelled extensively and Dick always had the inside track on all things Leonard (including a winning bid on a vast collection of a rare Cohen library). I remember that announcement for sure.
My condolences to Linda and to Jarkko and Eija on Dick's passing. He lived with gusto whenever he could and he will not be forgotten.

[Wybe]

So sorry to read this.
Our sincere condolences to Linda, his family and friends.

Willy and Wybe
.

Linda, Dick, Willy, Jarkko and Wybe - Dublin October 2006

This picture was made after the "Came so far for Beauty" concerts in Dublin.

[joyezekiel]

Mark and I were greatly saddened to read this news. We had the pleasure of meeting Dick and Linda in Nashville in 2009, two "stalwarts" of the forum.

Our thoughts and condolences to Linda.

Joy and Mark

[Mollydog]

I am very sad to hear this news. Dick was one of the first people I met from the forum. It was at the first Montreal concert in June 2008. My condolences to Linda, his family and many friends.

Mary