We Remember

This page is for us as community to remember members of ISSS and also to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of systems.
 
James Robert Simms, December 5, 1924 - Saturday, May 22, 2021. Jim Simms was an active member of ISSS to the end of his life. He led the Living Systems SIG for many years. More details here https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/21193240/James-Robert-Simms
 
From members:
 
I am a new member in ISSS, and have already heard a lot of great things about James, I was considering to get in touch with him about his work on living systems, sadly I missed my chance, none the less, I feel his work will be one of the great influencers in my path in system science, I pray for peace to him and his loved one,
Lorenzo
 
Jim Simms felt a very strong alliance with James G. Miller, one of the original ISSS Founders. He contributed for several years to Miller’s Living Systems Theory. He told me many times that he was very proud that Miller wrote the Forward to his book, titled “Principles of Quantitative Living Systems Science.” With the passing of Jim Simms, we lost a very persuasive contributor to the science of systemness or systems science as an alternative and complementary approach to systems thinking. He made a decade-long effort to bring more quantitative brilliance (the cgs, centimeter/gram/second system) to LST and to GST in general. Simms also was a very engaged pilot flying himself and companion Ellis Gillis to several ISSS Conferences even in his nineties. He flew, for example, to Vienna and the annual meetings in Corvallis, Oregon where I saw him last. His girl friend would often go on side trips with my wife and so we would hang out together for our annual wine tasting. I will miss his young enthusiasm for scientific pursuit of GST and flying. Please note that his degree was a B.S. in Engineering Physics and he was a UFO (United Flying Octagenarian) even into his nineties.
Dr. Len Troncale
 
I had the highest regard for Jim. We met at the conference in Crete a while ago.I tried to get in touch with his work by reading much of it soon after and then actually went to visit him at his home in Fulton.though his work was the centre of his life he was a fun guy.he and his partner of recent years frequently went ballroom dancing and he took part in a dancing workshop at the Washington conference even though it was not his natural habitat.he also had a wicked sense of human and we shared several evening with Eddie at a number of conferences over the years in Europe as well as USA.I will miss him greatly. Sincerely, Dennis.
 
My condolences to his family and friends. I spent many happy days at conferences with Jim and remember his gentle humour and wisdom with fondness. We had fun getting lost at a train station in Japan en route to a meeting. We laughed and laughed together. We experienced being presented matching fans by complete strangers on the train ( who took pity on us) and presented the fans as they stepped off the train, bowing to us - so gracious. It was the anniversary of Hiroshima - quite special - I still have the fan and the memories.
With every good wish Janet McIntyre 
 
I knew Jim Simms from isss conferences and had many discussions with him, he was an extremely nice person   !!!!!!!
I am sad to hear his passing and sympathies to his relatives
janos korn
 
Very sorry to hear this.  We used to have long discussions whenever we met. 
I have attended many of his Living systems workshops and enjoyed it very much.  He was also very gracious and gave me many of his books.  
He will be missed. 
Anand
 
 
Mary Catherine Bateson 1939 - 2 January 2021
 
From Nora Bateson post on Facebook:
My big sister. My beautiful, brilliant big sister. I would not be me if it weren't for her.
On Saturday, January 2, Mary Catherine Bateson died holding the hand of her daughter. She had been home for the last six months with her grandchildren.
Her life has been an inspiration to so many people. Her work, her mind, her heart... all brought great rigor and warmth to this world. I have such memories... and tears, and gratitude.
 
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Mary Catherine Bateson was a speaker at ISSS in Berlin. She joined in many conversations with ISSS members during a memorable week in Berlin.
 
Jocelyn Chapman suggested this link as a tribute
This interview from On Being:
 
 
 
Charles Bocage died of a heart attack on August 21, 2020.
 
Charles was a regular contributor to the early Saturday online ISSS SIG Sessions. His last ISSS conference was Corvallis 2019. He was a member of the Science, Spirituality and Systems Science SIG and the Systems and Mental Health SIG. Here is a video recording of the graduate student Charles Bocage at ISSS Corvallis 2019
 
He was a consultant specializing in human resources, specifically employee selection, strategic planning, financial management, personality assessment and academic and career advising. He had an impressive background that spanned leadership in the US Military with responsibility for operations and deployment of over 240,000 servicemen and women and 6,000 aircraft and ships throughout the Pacific and East Africa. He served in executive administrative positions with leading academic institutions. While Director of the Hawaii Technology Institute, he revolutionized the curriculum by developing a state of the art, technology based, Career Development Program which provided students with the skills to obtain careers after graduation at a 95% employment outcome. The Career Development Program was widely recognized and praised by the Accrediting Commission resulting in an astounding initial five-year accreditation appointment. His doctoral studies at Saybrook University were related to improving leadership within the family, specifically foster parent training by demystifying spirituality. Up until he died he wanted to provide a structure to increase the success of trauma mediation using secular spirituality techniques such as mindfulness meditation and yoga.
 
 
Jack Ring peacefully passed away on April 22nd, 2020, at the age of 85 in Mesa, AZ after a hard battle with liver cancer.  Jack has been an active supporter of Systems Science development. He contributed to the joint programs between ISSS and INCOSE.  Up until weeks before his death he was participating in online meetings with joint ISSS and INCOSE members to develop a proposed ISO standard "Do No Harm".  He was a keen supporter of the Systems Literacy Initiative. He worked with Derek Caberra educating K-12 students on systems concepts and approaches. Jack was a member of ISSS. He recently authored a Technical Report for INCOSE entitled "About Intelligent Enterprises:A Collection of Knowledge Claims" available from the INCOSE website.
 
From Len Troncale. Past-President and fomer Executive Director ISSS "he was always on the alert for bringing in new, younger voices that might have something to contribute. What will we do without him? I will very much miss his stimulating challenges and his sponsorship. Jack, despite his challenges, was a very loving and giving person.  We are a little bit less a people with his passing."
 
Obituary
He was born in St John, Kansas on April 14th, 1935, also known as Black Sunday.  He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, whom he resided with in Gilbert, AZ; his sister, Barbra Atterbery from Tribune, KS; his son, Jordan Ring from Glendale, AZ; his daughter, Kelly Ring Orosy from Krum, TX; and his stepchildren and grandchildren. Jack graduated from St John High School and Emporia State College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.  Jack had a passion for Science and Technology and was a member of several professional societies, including MENSA and INCOSE.  Jack volunteered many hours as a mentor to his peers, and served as Board and Council members for numerous organizations, including The University of Advancing Technology and Starshine Academy.  In his later years, he devoted his time to researching how people think and learn, and worked to create a new teaching pedagogy to enhance the K-12 educational system.  He always had a love for red corvettes and racing cars, but nothing compared to his love for his wife, Mary Lou and his children.  Jack will be remembered for his kind heart, eccentric style, and superior intellect.  He was greatly loved and is greatly missed.
 
 
Prof. Enrique Herrscher
 
A Festschrift in PDF for Charles Francois from his widow, Gloria.
 
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Dear Colleagues of Systems Science,

Prof. Enrique Herrscher passed away peacefully at his home in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 30 December 2019, ten days after celebrating his 90th birthday on 20 December.  Enrique Herrscher was an ad vitam honorary Professor at the University of Buenos Aires and a visiting professor at several other Argentine universities. He was the 49th President of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) from 2004 to 2005 as well as the adjunct chair of the Special Integration Group on Systems Applications to Business and Industry (SABI) for numerous years.  In 1966, Herrscher was the Argentine representative at the 9th World Accounting Congress in Paris, France.
He was a founding member and former Vice President of the Latin American Association of Systemics (ALAS).  Herrscher authored 10 books and over 100 papers.  In 1986 he was appointed as Fulbright fellow-in-residence at California State University, in Sacramento, CA.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_Herrscher
Publications:
2002, Accounting and Management – A Systemic Approach to Action-Oriented Information, Macchi, 216 pages.
2003, Systemic Thinking – Walking the Road of Change or Changing the Road, Granica, 270 pages.
2005, Systemic Planning - a Strategic approach to managing under uncertainty, Ed Macchi.

Respectfully,
~ Alexander Laszlo
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Alexander Laszlo, Ph.D. | President
Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science :: BCSSS
Vienna, Austria
 
ISSS Member Silvia Zweifel from Argentina created this tribute video.