FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jordi Fabre]

Just returned from Ste. Marie I got the terrible news of John Veevaert's death in a car accident. By age (we had the same age) and due to the circumstances, all my life on the Internet has passed in parallel to John so, honestly, I am very impressed.

I know that when someone dies everybody says nice words about him but this particular list of nice words has a plus, is completely true:

He was generous and extremely kind.
He loved the minerals above the money they could give to him.
He was a pioneer, a great talker and a free spirit.
He never complained, whatever happened, having luck or misfortune, he was always positive and always looked for the best of all things and all the circumstances.
He was an "old school" professional: loyal, serious and honest.

He was also many more things that I suppose will be manifested for others but I should leave it here. I must think a lot on John and his loss.

Rest in peace, my friend.

[lluis]

Received the sad new a few hours before it was placed here.

Knowing him personally, I completely agree with Jordi

We will miss him a lot!

Rest him in peace

Lluís

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
I knew John during the Mindat meeting in Lwowek Slaski Poland in 2011, I was very well impressed about his culture and his knowledge of our subjects. I am vey sad by getting so bad a new, and I send my condolences to his family. Now you are in Heaven, watch to all of us from there, John!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Gail]

Rest In Peace John. Your legacy is amazing. Hugs to Ronna, John’s wife.

[Elise]

Sincere condolences to his family and friends. The growing outpouring of grief since the announcement of his tragic death is a tribute to the place he held in the hearts of the worldwide mineral community and beyond. I was only just beginning to get to know him through our mutual great friend John S. White. What a terrible loss; what a sad day for all.

Jordi, what lovely praise for him, but here is the view from the other end of the lens that day which you posted with your tribute above: the REAL "Fabulous Six" ...it was a happy moment under the Arizona sun, as all your faces show.

[vic rzonca]

John, as part of the August group that installed the exhibit at the East coast show in 2015.

[rweaver]

Jordi about summed up what John was about. He was one of the good guys in the mineral world and will be missed. This is one of my first memories of John and was also one of my first online purchases back in Dec 2001. Words and pictures from his original website.

2 x 1.7 x .6 cm nugget of gold found by yours truly during the summer of 1979 only about 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles! A bit of a hike to get to this place in the San Gabriel Mountains but quite worth it. I have had this specimen for some time and debated on whether to keep it or not but since ALL I collect is benitoite I have decided to free this beast up.

I gave John visitation rights any time he was in my part of California and this is my tribute to him.

[chris]

Sad news. John was a good guy. It was always a pleasure to have a look at his site and not just for the shows' reports.
Rest in peace.

Christophe

[Jesse Fisher]

In happier times. A good friend gone too soon.

[Carles Millan]

Hard to believe. Very impressed!

[Joseph DOliveira]

I met John when he was first starting out as a dealer and I was returning to mineral collecting for my second time. I remember him doing his online auction from the bathroom in one of the dealer rooms in Tucson. A simple desk lamp and a digital camera was all it took as he pioneered the digital age in the mineral collecting market. It speaks volumes of a man who could build an exceptional business from such humble beginnings.

Although I was not a regular client of his, I did manage to purchase a few nice things from him over the years. When we met in Tucson, John was always willing to take the time to engage in conversation and share his passion for the hobby.

He will be missed, condolences to the family.

Joseph

[Peter]

I completely agree with Jordi. I was very sad to hear of his passing and so touched I was hoping it was not true. During the years I have lost some of my best geology-mineralogy friends, but many were in their 90s, and a few as young as their 70s.

I never saw John as a dealer but fellow collector. Very passionate, very knowledgeable and indeed he was more interested in minerals than money by far and all his actions
spoke for it.

He was always very happy and felt honored when I bought something from him. It showed his humbleness. My last buy from him was in Tucson 2018 after having agreed to buy something before seeing it live, something I rarely do.

I am so honored and pleased that I had two evenings with John this year.
We had some wonderful and deep discussions and his honesty is remarkable and strong.

I will always treasure our last conversation with him showing his honest strong mind, integrity and bravery in human contact beyond what one normally experiences.

I had plans to be field collecting with John in the autumn. Sadly not to be, but I will raise a toast to you John, in a place you would have loved to join me!!!
RIP my real friend

[Jordi Fabre]

After some time has passed I'm still shocked at the news of John's death.

I believe that each one of us is unique and that what we leave behind are memories of how we interact with other people. John's memories and stories are numerous, and those stories are part of who John was.
As a small tribute to his memory I open this space to request to all those who have something to relate about a memory with John to write it here and in this way, together, we will build an album of greetings cards on line. John deserves it.

[Recovering - Academic]

[Jordi Fabre]