RIP rmfromfla

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Robert K S
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RIP rmfromfla

Post by Robert K S »

This is a very belated in memoriam but I am just learning this saddening and shocking news--Robert McIelwain passed away in his home Monday, March 18. JBoard indicates he was last active here Friday, March 15, 2019 8:09 pm. He hadn't been responding to my e-mails but I never thought to Google for an obit. He was only 56. For those who didn't know him, Robert was one of the most dedicated Jeopardy! fans, who took notes and kept recordings dating back to the very early days. He was highly active on the old Sony board back in the early 2000s, and would still pop in here from time to time to chime in with his encyclopedic recollections. He was one of the early archivists on J! Archive and was entering clues up until the end.

I would still be in denial about this if his obituary didn't expressly mention his Jeopardy! fandom.

This is just terrible.
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StevenH
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by StevenH »

I am so sorry to hear! I exchanged PMs with him a few times and he was always super nice and happy to help find information about past games.

May he RIP.
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jlgarfield
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by jlgarfield »

Heratbreaking. :( I liked the information he shared with us on the pre-1997 shows.... he was such a nice guy. RIP X(
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MarkBarrett
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by MarkBarrett »

Robert was indeed very nice and generous in sharing intel he had about the early seasons. Many times I contacted him by email about figuring the date for an unmarked J! game I had and he always responded quickly. Beside the love of J! games themselves Robert also loved items associated with the show as he would let me know about books, calendars and such he added to his collection.

Robert did a lot for the Archive and the J! community with a lot of it done quietly behind the scenes.

The news itself is sad and then it becomes a little worse as it's January 2020 that we are finding out that Robert died all the way back in March.
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alietr
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by alietr »

I will add my appreciation for his contributions here and elsewhere. People come and go from here, so it's always difficult to recognize when someone is 'missing'. I am quite saddened to see he passed away so young. My condolences to his family.
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Robert K S
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by Robert K S »

His mom passed just a couple months before him
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ElendilPickle
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by ElendilPickle »

I'm so sorry to hear this.
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Fleeboy
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by Fleeboy »

Robert and MarkBarrett were the first J! überfans I encountered back in the long-ago days on the Sony boards. Both were invaluable sources of information in the those pre-Archive days, and beyond. Robert and I kept in touch for a few years, but, sad to say, fell out of contact other than chance encounters here.

Needless to say, news of his passing came as a shock. Had Mark not mentioned the "legendary" Robert in today's Polygon article, his passing might have remained unnoticed here for some time to come.

He'll be greatly missed. Condolences to his sister and any other surviving family members.
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Robert K S
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by Robert K S »

We've never kept an exact count of who entered what on the Archive but Robert M. entered so many games that he probably held the record for material entered into the Archive until recently, if he does not hold it still. We know how much the Archive meant to him because on Twitter he identified himself first and foremost as a "Jeopardy! archivist" and listed the Archive URL as his website. I want to say this loss is a huge blow to the community but the flip side of that coin is how lucky we all were to have had Robert McIelwain at all.
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opusthepenguin
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by opusthepenguin »

Robert K S wrote: Tue Jan 07, 2020 11:30 am We've never kept an exact count of who entered what on the Archive but Robert M. entered so many games that he probably held the record for material entered into the Archive until recently, if he does not hold it still. We know how much the Archive meant to him because on Twitter he identified himself first and foremost as a "Jeopardy! archivist" and listed the Archive URL as his website. I want to say this loss is a huge blow to the community but the flip side of that coin is how lucky we all were to have had Robert McIelwain at all.
Well said. He leaves a legacy that I will continue to use practically every day.

Anyone have a favorite quote from the man? Perhaps that or another fitting tribute could go on the front page of the archive for a bit.
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Robert K S
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by Robert K S »

Some of the last games he worked on in the Archive were this game from 1996 and this Seniors Tournament game from 1993.
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TheSunWillComeOut
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Re: RIP rmfromfla

Post by TheSunWillComeOut »

Saddened to hear this news. Robert was chatty on Twitter, and it crossed my mind that I hadn't seen him on my feed in a while, but with social media, you often assume someone decided to reduce their commenting or move to another platform unless you've heard otherwise.

May his memory be a blessing, as his work has been for all of us who benefited from the incredible resource of the J! Archive.
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