Ralph Selfridge

I never write these sorts of things, but Dr. Selfridge was a truly remarkable man, and he deserves whatever honor I can provide.

I met him at the University of Florida in the late 70s when I took his APL class (furlongs per fortnight, anyone?).
During this time, I got to know him and found him to be brilliant, inspiring, warm, patient, helpful, and essentially one of the most interesting people I have met in my life. Say what you will, he definitely made an impression on everyone...

A student at U of F in the late '70s, I credit this great man with inspiring in me the passion to pursue computer engineering as a lifelong career, and especially to think outside the box.

Dr. Selfridge, I will always remember your "colored sidewalk stones" problem in APL class, and that "personal IBM computer" that ran APL you had back when serious computers took up whole buildings.

Thank you. You are missed.

I miss you, still.

Unfortunately, I only know Ralph Selfridge through postings like these, and through memories from the family of his old friend John Maxfield. These were shared with me because I now have the privilege of owning the 1930 Rolls-Royce convertible coupe that these two gentlemen once owned and loved. I wish I had known both of these very special people.

I can deny that he rode a bicycle to class every day. He drove his Austin Healy Sprite twice a week to Dayton to teach calculus to six fortunate Fairview High School students. I was one. After the exam he offered to discuss anything we wanted. The immediate response was, "What is cricket?"

Ralph, I learned so much from you. It was such a privilege to have you chair my PhD Committee. I regret not having kept in closer touch with you over the years. I guess that is all too typical of us mathematicians. I guess it is appropriate to send a greeting during All-Saints-tide.

I had the good fortune to meet Ralph in 1979 as part of an NSF summer science program for high school students. Then 13, I had developed an interest in speech processing, and ended up working with a group that shared his lab. This led, inevitably, to interactions with Ralph, and to my learning APL with his encouragement and support. His warmth was evident then, but it is only in hindsight, after ten years in academia, that I have come to appreciate the generosity of spirit that would tolerate...

Aah, the smell of Turkish coffee in his office...

We'll miss you, Dr. S.

I was a math/computer science (APL) student of his in December, 1973. His enthusiasm for conveying the concepts of precision and conciseness was unmatched! That very feature of APL, expressed so diligently by Dr. Selfridge, lead to my following a career path of 30 years in APL. In fact, I was beginning to mention this to him in my next writing to him about my retirement - when I found out of his passing. His major, but unknowing contribution to my life and his kindness in our seldom...