RIP, Robear (PA Bear) Dyer

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I’ve just learned of the passing of long-long-long time Microsoft MVP Robear Dyer, in Warwick PA on November 26. You may know him better as PA Bear. I
[See the full post at: RIP, Robear (PA Bear) Dyer]

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JDeC, FakeNinja, AJNorth

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Yes read many of his replies, also felt he was one of the more helpful folks in the forums. Not some condescending person who couldn’t help someone. May he RIP.

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AJNorth, woody

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He kept his cool when people tore into him, thinking he was a Microsoft employee, not a volunteer. That took an enormous amount of poise and class.

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Woody, I thought my eyes had deceived me when I fleetingly read the header from the home page. I am saddened by this news, I have been reading his posts in MS Community for many years. His knowledge / expertise was outstanding and helped scores of people.

May he rest in peace.

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woody

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Woody, I have been working on the forum for coming on 9 years now. When I work there, I note some questions that already have answers. Certain answerers I have learned to recognize as being expert, and when i see their names, I know I can just pass that one by because it is very likely the questioner is in good hands. Pa Bear was one of those. I respect his answers and the way he handled himself.

So far, the forum where I lurk (the Windows 7 section) has not been affected to my knowledge by the new Microsoft automaton answer system, so I continue to volunteer my time there. Pa Bear will indeed be missed, but not by the machine that has become Microsoft. It is a strange situation.

CT

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Seff, HiFlyer, woody

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Rest in Peace, my old friend, brother Robear.

…glee

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Legacy.com Obituary

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woody

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The http://www.cremationsocietyofpa.com Obituary additionally gives these dates:

Born: Thu., Dec. 14, 2051
Died: Sun., Nov. 26, 2017

The home address for Robert E Dyer, age 65, phone 610-286-1618 is 267 Warwick Rd. Marsh, PA 19520-8921

HP Compaq 6000 Pro SFF PC / Windows 10 Pro / 22H2
Intel®Core™2 “Wolfdale” E8400 3.0 GHz / 8.00 GB
HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF PC / Windows 11 Pro / 23H2
Intel®Core™ “Coffee Lake” i3-8100 3.6 GHz / 16.00 GB

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May his soul rest in peace.

There seems to be some issue with the website, which shows Born year as 2051. This should be 1951.

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I’ve also seen his name many times, and recognized him for his knowledge and helpful demeanor.

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Wow, I remember PA Bear from way, way back.

Heaven can now get its Windows systems working.

-Noel

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woody

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Nah! There’s no way they’re running Windows in heaven. Gotta be running Linux Mint!

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Woody.

Fyi…the picture in this post is wrong!

https://insider.windows.com/en-us/MVPs/henri-charlier-de-chily/

 

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OMG. You’re right. PA Bear was a very private guy. I didn’t even know until this morning that his real name is “Robert” – not Robear….

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Hi, Woody.

Yes, Robear was a very private person.

Thanks for making the requested picture correction for my very dear friend.

Regards,

…winston MSFT MVP 2007-2016 Insider MVP 2016-2018

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I found a new pic, thanks to reader BB, and posted it.

Please, if you know of anything personal about PA Bear, and wish to share it, I’d love to hear it. He was very well known, in some respects, but a complete enigma in others.

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Hi Woody,

Yes, that is the correct picture.

I would have emailed you the link. Lacking your direct email address and not wishing to publish the link publicly in this forum,  I provided the link to BB in a private MVP forum to pass along to you for this article.  Glad to see the update.

Afiak,  that is the only picture our late friend ever provided to anyone for public use(and quite understandable too<g>).

I appreciate the offer/request to provide more personal information, but after 20+ yrs of friendship, it’s doubtful Robear would have honored that same request for personal information for public disclosure, thus I’ll have to pass on doing so.

His legend and contributions in the MSFT and private forums and earlier in nntp newsgroups speaks volumes.

Regards

…winston

 

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Thanks, Winston.

BTW, you can email me any time: woody@askwoody.com.

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woody wrote:

I didn’t even know until this morning that his real name is “Robert” – not Robear….

“Robear” is the French pronunciation of “Robert”. That’s likely why he put “Robear” as his name.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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woody

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Unless Woody had met PA Bear in person and knows that the picture above is him, this is his MVP bio:

https://insider.windows.com/en-us/MVPs/robear-dyer-pa-bear/

 

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I love that pic – but it’s of Jackie Gleason.

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My kind of guy – puts Ralph Cramden and Ed Norton for his avatar!

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Small picture of Robear here http://dtsl.mvps.org/gallery.htm Probably taken between 2000 and 2005.

Don Varnau

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I took that photo when Robear visited me in Ecuador. It was March 2001. I’m stunned to hear that he’s no longer around.

David B

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Like many other contributors to the MS community forum I learned a lot from and was helped by Robear.  – He will be missed. RIP  –  RicW

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Yea, read it within an internal MS MVP forum this weekend. Know his posts since I was active in Microsoft’s news groups a decade ago. So sad, may he R.I.P.

Ex Microsoft Windows (Insider) MVP, Microsoft Answers Community Moderator, Blogger, Book author

https://www.borncity.com/win/

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woody

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If you want to read what he posted over the years, you can go here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/profile/c6c9a069-9cc9-4641-af8c-2d68ddfe1132

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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woody

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RIP Robear.

Your colleague TaurArian and email friend Kaylene.

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I just learned this morning of Robear’s passing.  We were planning a reunion and a mutual friend told me that they think they found his obituary but were not positive.  Seeing his picture above I now know that it was indeed him.

I first met Robear back in 1982.  I worked with him for about 6 or 7 years.  I can proudly say that I learned many an inappropriate joke from him.  You may not know this but he was also a bartender extraordinaire.

Sharp wit.  Full, hearty laugh.  You will always be a great and caring man in my memories.  I wish that my children could have met you.  I hope you find Charlie.

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