Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Obituary: John Holmes Memory now is a ruthless contraption Nothing could be more terrible than the news of the death of John Holmes (and definitely not at this time). John was one of the tutors in Leeds that I was very close to. We used to spend a lot of time together in his office talking about Pakistan, about Brazil and about England. We never stopped talking about events and ideas whenever we'd the opportunity to do so. For me, John was more than a tutor. He was my friend, and a very special one. When I think of John Holmes, the words dignity, class and style come to my mind. John was a humble, genuine individual who could be relied upon to listen and provide unconditional support to his friends as well as his pupils. The love, care and hospitality we all felt so clearly when we visited Guisely, is a memory that is now going to stay with us as an ever fragrant flower. In his presence, I always felt I was talking to a man who had a lot of intelligence and integrity. John had a splendid sense of perception and understanding as well as a positive interest in people. In him, I saw a man who was perfectly English, perfectly British, perfectly 'international' and perfectly human. I always believed he was a spectacular writer, thinker, and a real intellectual. He was a respected professional and someone I valued deeply as a mentor and a confidant. Unlike many professionals, he bypassed overt aggressiveness in favor of quiet determination. He backed up his polite, gracious style with knowledge and experience which he never shrunk from sharing. In years all too short, John was blessed to be dearly loved by his wife, family and friends; respected by colleagues and appreciated by those he counseled. He's just one of those people who are full of empathy, grace and are passionate about people. He remains deeply and lastingly in our loving memory. May John's sweet, loving and wonderful soul rest in perfect peace. My deepest condolence to his family and his colleagues at Leeds University. His friend and student, ALI AHMAD ABDI Graduate, School of Education, University of Leeds, UK.