In Memoriam

Posted on 14. Mar, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Musings & Inspiration
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One of my dearest friends passed away last week. Born in Estonia during WWII, he and his family fled to Sweden before emigrating to Canada: first Toronto, then Vancouver. As we listened to the story of his life during his memorial service, one thing struck me: he was the kind of person who could feel at home anywhere.

- He was a joiner. Whether he was singing in a choir or playing American football, he was always part of a group and he was usually the life of the party.
- He was a connector, constantly introducing people and making sure that everyone felt included. Blessed with seemingly boundless energy, he loved organizing events and celebrations, be it a day hike, a fly-fishing trip or dinner at a new restaurant.
- He knew what really mattered to him and designed his life accordingly. His anchors were family, friends, travel and his lifelong passion, contemporary design.
- He was optimistic and persistent. He had a wonderful sense of humour and did not take himself, or life for that matter, too seriously.

In other words, he had intuitively mastered the art of belonging, creating community and feeling fulfilled no matter where he happened to be.

He often travelled to Italy for business and I was lucky enough to accompany him on his last trip to Milan in 2006. His local contacts welcomed him with open arms, even though he did not speak a drop of Italian. He did not need to. His big smile and goofy sense of humour were his passport, his dictionary and his letters of introduction.

Rest in peace, dear Uno. The cancer may have taken your body but your spirit will remain an inspiration to me forever.

Emmanuelle