  Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4077 Registered: 10-2003 |
There is a deep hole in my heart tonight and, I am sure, a very deep hole in this forum's heart. It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of a stellar member of this forum and a great friend and champion of Detroit - Psip. First off, I extend my deepest sympathies to his brother, and likewise stellar forum member, Hornwrecker and to the family and friends of Psip. In nearly 2000 posts Psip informed, entertained and enlightened us all with his timely pictures and brilliant posts. Perfectly illustrative of this is what seems to be his last post where he yet again dug up another obscure image, this time a picture of 70's era Detroit TV talk show host Lou Gordon. Post 1988. In terms of quality of posts Psip set a standard for all to aspire to and that few achieve. Psip informed, entertained and enlightened me in so many ways. I thank him for that and how much he made my world better and more meaningful. I had the honor of meeting Psip first at the funeral for ItsJeff and then to have a long conversation with him at the wake for ItsJeff at the Fox and Hounds, an event for which he was most instrumental in arranging and a place that was a favorite haunt of his in days past. I learned of his business of digitizing old video, largely old TV station news footage, many of which he would share off-forum [but couldn't share publicly as much as he would have liked to]. This explains in part the source his vast wealth of knowledge and passion for our beloved Detroit. My friends this is a great loss to all of us and I am devastated. With sad thanks to Hornwrecker who wrote the following to me today. "It is with sadness that I have to tell you of the passing of my brother Zen. He apparently died of a heart attack... He was 56 years old. "No arrangements have been made as of yet... "Lowell, if you could post a thread about this, I would be grateful." Hornwrecker | ||
Rockcity2windycity Member Username: Rockcity2windycity Post Number: 220 Registered: 11-2005 |
My condolences go out to his family. | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 1416 Registered: 12-2006 |
^Likewise. | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 197 Registered: 03-2006 |
I'm sad to hear this. Psip was a familiar poster who always had value-added stuff to the threads. He was too young to leave this life. My condolences to his family. | ||
Silverbeauty Member Username: Silverbeauty Post Number: 35 Registered: 11-2005 |
so sorry to Hornwrecker and family, and close friends. It is devastating to lose somebody close to you. May peace be with you. | ||
Vetalalumni Member Username: Vetalalumni Post Number: 563 Registered: 05-2007 |
My sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Psip. | ||
Classico Member Username: Classico Post Number: 51 Registered: 12-2005 |
My condolences. | ||
Crash_nyc Member Username: Crash_nyc Post Number: 997 Registered: 08-2004 |
WHAT?!! I'm absolutely floored! Hornwrecker or Lowell, please email me: crash_nyc at mac dot com I got to know him through this forum, and I've had quite a bit of non-forum-related contact with him over the past few months. Sharing similar professional interests, we got to know each other via email. I work as an Editor for AETN (A&E & The History Channel) in NYC, and Zen, being an avid Detroit-centric video historian, provided quite a bit of archival footage for our recent show on The History Channel: "Our Generation: Motown". The associated Producers spoke very highly of him and his professionalism, and I can personally attest to that as well. After a last-minute change in the script, he made an emergency run to WJBK to obtain some critical footage for us, encoded & uploaded it, and helped History Channel complete the show against a tight deadline, in time for air. He was credited as "Walter Media Works" in the end-credits, and he proudly proclaimed that this was his company's first-ever national TV credit. After making such a great first-impression at the network, we were hoping that this would be the start of a long relationship between him and AETN. After our most recent correspondence (less than a month ago), I had planned to pay him a visit during my next trip back to Detroit.... My deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1649 Registered: 12-2005 |
Oh my gosh--I am in total shock. I never got to meet Zen in person, but he and I had some common interests, corresponded off-list and he had sent me many outstanding video clips from the "vault" he was digitizing. My condolences go to Howrwrecker and other family at this difficult time. | ||
Hagglerock Member Username: Hagglerock Post Number: 437 Registered: 03-2005 |
Rest in Peace brother. You will be missed. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1324 Registered: 09-2006 |
Damn. Condolences to the family. But hey he did have a really cool name. | ||
Ed_golick Member Username: Ed_golick Post Number: 777 Registered: 10-2003 |
God bless you, Zen. | ||
Xd_brklyn Member Username: Xd_brklyn Post Number: 286 Registered: 10-2003 |
I can't believe this. I just spoke to him maybe two weeks ago. We were working on a project looking to get some Detroit television shows transferred. He was so cheerful about everything. This is really too sudden, too sad, and much too early for him and for us. I really can't believe this. He was so excited about his work. You just knew he loved what he was doing. My sincerest condolences to Hornwrecker, his family, and those who knew him. | ||
Detroit_stylin Member Username: Detroit_stylin Post Number: 4742 Registered: 10-2003 |
Damn two forumers w/in the same year... My condolences are extended as well... | ||
Ja1mz Member Username: Ja1mz Post Number: 58 Registered: 02-2007 |
My condolences to the family | ||
14509glenfield Member Username: 14509glenfield Post Number: 1154 Registered: 05-2006 |
With sympathy...56...too young. His contributions....more than appreciated. | ||
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm Post Number: 915 Registered: 10-2003 |
Condolences to the family, both immediate and extended..... | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 2351 Registered: 11-2005 |
Condolences to Hornwrecker and the rest of his family and friends. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1088 Registered: 12-2005 |
I'm stunned.... Zen and I have been corresponding by e-mail since Dec. 2005, when he found my local history web site and offered me some photos. It turned out that we had grown up in the same small town and attended the same grade school, where he was one year ahead of me.  Zen Losin, circa 1961 Our later "conversations" would include plenty of advice from him about on-line photo archives and also how to go about converting my family videos to digital media. I enjoyed our conversations because of his helpful nature and his sense of humor. We had a number of common interests and I figured it was only a matter of time before we would meet face-to-face. How wrong that assumption was! My condolences go out to Hornwrecker and the rest of Zen's family. (Message edited by Mikeg on August 19, 2007) | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 5814 Registered: 10-2003 |
So sorry to hear of this. I also met him at the wake, I was totally enthralled by our conversation and his conversations with others. My condolences. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 1931 Registered: 10-2003 |
You'll be missed, Psip. Thanks for everything. | ||
Qweek Member Username: Qweek Post Number: 360 Registered: 07-2006 |
May his soul find peace. Tina | ||
Pffft Member Username: Pffft Post Number: 1349 Registered: 12-2003 |
So sorry to hear about this, I enjoyed his posts and his knowledge of video history. | ||
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone Post Number: 130 Registered: 03-2007 |
My deepest sympathies to Zen's family. I also enjoyed his information and insightful posts though I am a relative "newbie". Life is so short...let us all cherish each and every moment. | ||
Plymouthres Member Username: Plymouthres Post Number: 146 Registered: 02-2007 |
Hornwrecker- I am writing this to let you know what kind of person your brother was and the impact that he had on my perspective of people. I have been a member of the forum for almost a year and before that I lurked in the background, reading and learning so much from the members of this forum about the wonders of this great city. Psip's posts were always something that I looked forward to reading as his writing, wit and candor was a refreshing blast to the usual dry commentary that occurs here occasionally. My wife and I had the extra ordinary pleasure of meeting him at our very first FSC at the DBC in April. Zen was even more engaging in person, and I looked forward to seeing and talking with him in the future. Recently, the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition was graciously allowed used the Forum to ask for volunteers-Zen e-mailed me immediately and wanted on the list. He wanted to be part of the solution. He wanted to make a difference. I was looking forward to seeing him at yesterday's workday, as I had e-mailed him on the 8th with the heads-up. I will always be grateful for having met Zen and knowing him personally. People like Zen never really leave you, for once you have met them they are always with you. My most sincere condolences to your family. PlymouthRes | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2433 Registered: 10-2003 |
To Hornwrecker and family, We are saddened to learn of Zen's death. He was one terrific guy!! Zen was so generous as he reached out to me and other forumers, ready and willing to share information, photos, and video clips on topics that we were personally interested in. We met in person only a couple of times, and he was a delight to talk to in person. His enthusiasm for and knowledge of the Detroit of our youth was boundless. He will be greatly missed!! May you take comfort in knowing that he was a truly giving person and that we all appreciated his generosity. Kathleen and Dave | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1611 Registered: 11-2003 |
My condolences to his family. | ||
Rickinatlanta Member Username: Rickinatlanta Post Number: 106 Registered: 07-2006 |
Truly sorry to hear of this significant loss both as an individual and as a valued "forumer". | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 11660 Registered: 10-2003 |
I too met him for the first time at ItsJeff's wake, then a few times after. He seemed to be a really great guy, one of whom possessed a wealth of knowledge on Detroit. I am grateful to have met him, as well as to have had him share some of his work with many of us. His footage was something I will likely never get the chance to see again in my life. Much of which nobody has probably seen in 40+ years, such as Coleman A Young's inaugural speech, Jimmy Hoffa's last public speech, and so many other Detroit moments in history that often get buried in storage boxes and forgot about. Psip not only seemed to put his heart into his work, he enjoyed sharing that history he uncovered with others. It saddens me to learn of this loss, yet find myself once again very thankful to have had the chance to have met him. Strangely, if not for ItsJeff's passing, I likely would have never met Psip. | ||
Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 547 Registered: 08-2006 |
Sorry to hear the news, I wish his family well during this terrible time. |
