<HTML>Friends all........... I met Newton in central Illinois, after he had finished doing a class for a = PTG chapter out of Bloomington.......he was a fascinating, kind, approachabl= e sort of person, and we laughed immediately about being only 5 days apart i= n age. It was only about six weeks later that he was struck by a car whil= e crossing a street near his home--and we corresponded by e-mail every day f= or about the next three months during his convalescence. I didn't really = care if he answered--I was only prodding him to recover--but he DID answer, = almost every day, sometimes a bit weakly, but he ANSWERED! This, I came to learn, was quintessentially Newton........he had a deep feel= ing, a deep understanding and a deeper respect for people, and had friends f= ar beyond "the business." He was quite alone during the last few years......retired, living alone....b= ut thanks to his MANY friends, in the Guild and on Pianotech, and at the con= ventions, he was never really alone...........nor is he now. Godspeed, Ne= wton, my friend. I miss you. Stan Ryberg Barrington IL Associate Member mailto:jstan40@aol.com</U= > </HTML>