ACADEMIA
When Laurie was in vet school, Jerry and another professor were team-teaching a clinical pathology lab. Jerry and the other professor had a protracted, vigorous and loud disagreement, in front of the students, about some point of clin path lore. The argument got heated, and the back-and-forth was fierce. Jerry made some telling point, at which the other professor said "Jerry, that's what I've been saying all along!". Jerry paused, and then said "Well, that may be, but when I'm not talking, I'm not listening!"
We were once invited, along with a host of other people, to see Jerry's slides just after he had returned from a trip to Africa. Jerry had not had time to edit the slides, and the show lasted hours, with Jerry describing in detail the village, the person, the animal or the setting of each photo, and the social, economic, political or biological features of each. Much wine was drunk and much entertainment was had. A week later, we were invited again for a gathering at the Kaneko's house: this time we were shown the same slides, but this time they were grouped into themes, and each slide was proceeded by a title slide describing the village, the person, the animal or the setting of each photo, and the social, economic, political or biological features of each. Much wine was drunk and much entertainment was had.
Jerry and Tess treated us like family for all the years we lived in Davis and Winters. The painting of two whales they gave our son when he was born still hangs in his bedroom 19 years later, as it has for his entire life. We can't enter the room without thinking about Jerry and Tess, and all their kindness to us.
Geoff Akita and Laurie Klein
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