Sad to hear this, I've lost one more of the special mudcatters I genuinely admired and respected..
.. despite his most obvious silly & obnoxious tendencies.
But that's how complex people are...

We have lost significant irreplaceable knowledge and experience.....

He was a month younger than my mum,
I wish they'd met socially, she would have been slightly in awe, and liked him very much,
but also not been too shy too tell him off when required...