Born in Sibiu, Romania on April 24, 1959, Florin passed away peacefully at home on February 13, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Mariana; his son, Razvan; and his mother, Elena.
Florin was an award-winning mathematician, Vice President of the Canadian Mathematical Society, professor at the University of Victoria and Yale-NUS Singapore, the author of several successful books, and an avid tennis player.
A loving husband and father, he will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Visitation will be held in the Redwood Chapel at McCall Gardens on Friday, February 16 at 7:00 pm. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 2:00 pm in the Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens, 4665 Falaise Drive.
Tributes, if desired, may be made to the Victoria Hospice Society.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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David West
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Philip B. Alipour Dear Mariana and Razvan,
Although I find it late to message you, please accept me and my wife’s deepest condolences on your loss. I was one of Florin’s students and he was my co-supervisor for my PhD degree that I am concluding this year.
I was sending him an email or two regarding research but not realizing that he has passed away a few months ago and thought he was busy. I was shocked about his departure from this dimension just yesterday as the news was published on UVic pages on the 21st of May, and for what I have felt and realized was his positive energy and presence to be always here filling this city and university.
Keep him and his good energy alive with good memories indeed.
With all our heart,
Philip & Nivonn Alipour
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Marcel Munta Stimata doamna Diacu,
Ieri am sosit in vitiza in Romania si am aflat ca un traznet uman vestea destre decesul lui Florin. Este cea mai cumplita veste pentru o mama. Va exprim sincerele mele condoleante si va doresc sa dispuneti de cat mai multa posibila sanatate la varsta venerabila pe care o aveti !
Cu amintirea multelor discutii purtate impreuna de-a lungul anilor, ca ma primea-ti cu drag, ca pe “un fiu raracitor”.
Dumnezeu sa-l odihneasca in linistea cereasca !
Marcel
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Marika Todoran-Baroti Wer im Gedächtnis seiner Lieben lebt, der ist nicht tot,
der ist nur fern. Tot ist nur, wer vergessen wird.(Joseph Christian Freiherr von Zedlitz (1790 – 1862), österreichischer Schriftsteller)
Vestea mortii lui Florin ne-a socat si ne umple de tristete.
In gind sintem alaturi de voi in aceste clipe grele.
Sincere condoleante,
Marika & Tibi Baroti (Erlangen / Medias)
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Angelo Mingarelli Please accept my sincere condolences on this tragic occasion. I heard of Florin some time in 1992 when he was visiting the University of Montreal. At that time I took the initiative to invite him to Carleton University for a series of lectures on celestial mechanics. We then became colleagues and ultimately friends. I trust you will all stay strong and rejoice in the good times and memories of his life with you. (Angelo)
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Philip Holmes Dear Mariana and Razvan,
I have just learned of Florin’s death. I am so sorry; please
accept my sincere condolences. We have lost a colleague and a
friend, but your loss is so much greater.I well remember receiving part of a working manuscript in 1993
or ’94. In due course this became the book “Celestial Encounters,”
which I was privileged to contribute to. Subsequently I enjoyed
visiting you and Florin at U Vic in 1996, and then Florin was a
key organizer for the wonderful workshops on math and science
writing held at the PIMS conference center at Banff. These were
the first meetings at which I felt that my two lives, in the
mathematical sciences and in poetry, really became one.You may not know that, as an advisory committee member at the
Centre de Recherche Mathématiques in Montreal, I had read Florin’s
CV some time before 1993. I believe that this helped in his
appointment at CRM, and thence at U Vic. Again, I feel lucky to
have spotted his talents, and to have played a small part in his
impressive career.With my best wishes and thoughts, at this dark time.
Sincerely Yours, Phil Holmes.
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Gareth Roberts To Mariana and family,
My heartfelt sympathies to you all over the loss of Florin. He was such a giant in the celestial mechanics community and beyond that it is hard to fathom his loss right now.
I first met Florin many years ago at one of the HAMSYS conferences in Patzcuaro, Mexico. It was my first conference and I was really nervous about giving a talk. The first person to ask a question at the end of my talk was Florin, and he began by simply stating that it was a good talk. That was a great boost to a fledgling mathematician! It was indicative of the type of leadership and supportive mentorship that Florin offered to so many in the mathematical community.
In the summer of 2013, Florin organized a wonderful meeting in Victoria bringing together researchers in the n-body problem and atomic and molecular dynamics. It was a really unique gathering of researchers. I recall a lovely party during that conference when Florin and family opened up their home to all of us.
Florin was always so welcoming and approachable. He was a world-class researcher and a gifted writer and story-teller. I regularly assign his “Celestial Encounters” book to my students, a book that brings both the mathematics of our field to life as well as the personal stories behind that mathematics.
I will miss his smile, his wit, his kindness, his leadership and his passion for mathematics.
My thoughts are with you and your family.Sincerely,
Gareth Roberts
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Sawsan Alhowaity Dear Ms. Mariana,
I am truly sorry and sad to hear of the loss of my distinguished supervisor. Please accept my sincere condolences and may his soul rest in peace. He was a wonderful person. He was always encouraging me to achieve the best in my study. I met him every week for one year. in every meeting he was asking about my family and my sons. He is very kind, friendly and enthusiastic. Dr. Florin is an invaluable professor.
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Dana, Alberto, Daniel, Alejandro Draga Marina si Razvan,
Va transmitem cele mai sincere condoleante si suntem alaturi de voi. Ne gandim la voi cu mult drag. Draga mea prietena, am avut norocul sa intram impreuna in anul 2018 dar nu stiam ca o sa fie ultima intalnire cu Florin.
Intotdeauna a fost exemplul pe care l-am dat copiilor mei. Un om deosebit care lasa un gol enorm in multe suflete.
Parintii mei, socati la primirea tristei vesti, iti trimit cel mai bune ganduri si doresc sa se odihneasca in pace.
Daniel si Alejandro se unesc acestor ganduri.
Florin a lasat urme adanci care nu o sa se stearga niciodata.
Ce noroc am avut sa cunoastem o fiinta exceptionala ca el.
Drum bun in calatoria ta cosmica, prietene drag. Nu exista suficiente lacrimi pentru a plange o pierdere prematura ca a ta.
Querida Marina y Razvan, os acompañamos en el sentimiento. Florin ha dejado un hueco muy grande detrás pero también muchos amigos. Podéis contar con nosotros. Un abrazo muy fuerte.
Dana, Alberto, Daniel y Alejandro
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Anita Foster Dear Mariana:
From the bottom of my heart, please accept my sincere prayers. I am so sorry about your loss. I remember Florin as a person who gave you full attention and even though so accomplished he was always humble and noble. I always had and will have the highest admiration for both of you regarding your accomplishments and giving nature. Please take care of yourself. My thoughts are with you and your family in those challenging times …
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Shirley Marsh Dear Mariana & family,
There are no words…I was shocked & saddened to hear of Florin’s illness & passing. What a remarkable man. I knew of his tremendous intellect and worldwide contribution to Mathematics, but I will remember his big smile, kind nature & the genuine interest he had in others. Such a valuable, fun member of the Saanich Tennis Community. I’m thinking of you with love on my travels, and am reminded once again about living life now, as tomorrow is never promised.
Shirley
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Eladie si Mariana Grere Draga Razvan, draga Marina, citind mesajele de mai sus am atenuat putin din emotia care m-a coplesit. Despre Florin, profesorul Solomon Marcus spunea ca este cel mai mare savant roman in mecanica cereasca dupa Spiru Haret. “Provocarea culturii” – conferinta de la Cluj din oct.2013- care i-a reunit pe Florin, Solomon Marcus, Ioan Aurel Pop, Dorin Prunariu si Daniel Condurache ramine un episod memorabil pentru multi romani (un post tv national a oferit de mai multe ori inregistrarea acelei minunate intilniri). Cu prietenii rotarieni din Bistrita si Cluj am organizat prima lansare in Romania a “Mileniului pierdut”la Cluj. Florin a tinut la Bistrita si la Cluj prelegeri despre “Megadezastre”. Intilnirile cu el au fost o bucurie si un privilegiu. A plecat pentru intilniri celeste, dar ne lasa, pe cei care l-au cunoscut, mai aproape de voi: Marina, Razvan si Elena. Va imbratisam cu multa afectiune. Cu iubire si speranta pentru Florin !
Puiu si Mariana
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Cathy Frost Dear Mariana:
I was so sorry to hear about Florin. What a lovely man and such fun on the tennis court. I remember he said, ” I taught her to play and now she’s better than me”. Just one of his many legacies as I’ve been learning.My thoughts are with you,
Cathy
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Lois Toms Mariana, I was so shocked to learn of Florin’s untimely passing. My sincerest condolences to you, Razvan, and your mother-in-law for the loss of your cherished husband, father and son.
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Sawsan Alhowaity Dear Ms. Diacu,
I am truly sorry and sad to hear of the loss of my distinguished supervisor. Please accept my sincere condolences and may his soul rest in peace. He was a wonderful person. He was always encouraging me to achieve the best in my study. I met him every week for one year. In every meeting he was asking about my family and my sons. He is very kind and friendly. Dr. Florin is an invaluable professor.
Sawsan Alhowaity
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Kathy Buettner Dear Mariana, I’m heartbroken to hear of Florin’s passing. While I only met him once briefly at your home, I felt like I got to know him through your stories. You are in my prayers. Much love, Kathy
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Bryan W. Van Norden Dear Marina–I’m so sorry to hear of Florin’s passing. During the brief time we had come to know each other at Yale-NUS I already considered Florin a dear friend, and I looked forward to many more years of friendship. Still, I know that he lived a life full of love, friendship, professional accomplishments, and courage in the face of adversity. His benevolent influence will reverberate forever throughout the lives of everyone whom he touched. — Bryan
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Don Saari Florin Diacu
Summarized in a word: CharismaticI first became aware of Florin during those repressive days of the Ceausescu dictatorship when an editor asked me to review a paper submitted by a Romanian student who was extending earlier research of mine. First through professional correspondence and then, once it became possible, with face-to-face meetings was built a strong friendship.
What a delightful person! Gifted with the ability to write not only for mathematicians but books for the general public, to deliver professional presentations that were entertaining.r and that made the complex understandable, combined with his adventurous intellect to explore and open new avenues of research, Florin made his strong mark. His main research interests centered on the notoriously difficult Newtonian N-body problem, where many try but few survive, and even fewer create new research directions, as Florin did with his insight to pose the gravitational equations on a variety of surfaces or examine “double humped” potentials.
Yes, Florin will be remembered through his research and the directions that he opened. But, for those of us fortunate enough to know him, it is the man that we will remember. Ambitious, clever, a leader, friendly, outgoing, cheery, serious yet the life.of-the-party. A memory all will retain is Florin’s hallmark:
his warm, broad, welcoming smile!
Florin, you will be missed.
Don Saari
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Patricia and Jesús Dear Marina,
we feel very sad and shocked about Florin’s passing away. It is so early, so fast…
We met him first time in Namur, Belgium in 1997 and since then we have seen him
many times in many different places.We were always very impressed about Florin’s friendly attitude. We consider him as
a brilliant mathematician and a wonderful communicator. He expressed his ideas
and feelings with such a clarity that really admired us. He always had a kind word for
everybody. We remember his warm welcome the first time we met. He did not go
unnoticed anywhere. He was cheerful, had an entertaining and funny conversation.He was a great promoter writer of Mathematics and Celestial Mechanics, in particular.
His books reflect his clarity of mind, his strength and now they are going to maintain
his spirit forever, for the people who knew him to remember him and for the ones who
did not meet him to have a feeling of his soul.But overall, he was a wonderful man, plenty of vitality and enthusiasm. Certainly we will
miss him very deeply but now he is part of all of us forever.We think of you and your family at this sad time and send you our wish of hope and energy.
A heartfelt embrace:
Patricia and Jesús.
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Giancarlo e Manuela Santoprete Cara Marina,
con grande tristezza abbiamo appreso la dolorosa notizia della scomparsa così improvvisa del caro Florin.
Lo ricordiamo per la sua affettuosa accoglienza riservata a Manuele e a noi quando Manuele ha iniziato il PhD a Victoria con Lui, suo indimenticabile maestro di scienza e di vita.Manuele lo considerava il suo riferimento, pieno di affettuosità e di consigli determinanti per la sua immissione nel mondo accademico.
Inserimento reso possibile dal fascino coinvolgente che Florin sapeva trasmettere ai suoi allievi grazie alla sua bravura e alla sua innata originalità nel campo della ricerca scientifica che egli dominava.Noi ricordiamo Florin per l’affettuosa accoglienza riservataci a Victoria in alcune splendide e festose occasioni come quella del Natale nella vostra casa, del barbecue in giardino, della gita nel parco prospiciente l’oceano e presso il club degli accademici dell’UVIC.
Egli era sempre allegro e festoso e comunicava a noi una grande gioia, come quando nella vostra gradita visita a Pisa ci avete regalato una lieta e indimenticabile giornata.Florin merita tutto il nostro affetto, l’ammirazione e la nostra incommensurabile riconoscenza!
Florin è stata una grande persona, intellettualmente ed umanamente, un grande matematico, una persona che rimarrà sempre nei nostri cuori e nei nostri pensieri.
Il mondo accademico perde un valoroso e importante scienziato e Florin sarà ricordato nel tempo per i suoi contributi e i grandi meriti ottenuti con il suo instancabile e entusiastico lavoro.La sua perdita ci ha grandemente rattristato e pensiamo a te, Marina, e a tuo figlio con grande affetto e compartecipazione.
Vi siamo vicini con i nostri cuori e vi abbracciamo sentitamente.
Con questo animo porgiamo a te, a tuo figlio e ai vostri cari vicini e lontani le nostre più sentite condoglianze abbracciandovi ancora.Giancarlo e Manuela Santoprete
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Cristina Stoica Nature will not be denied: we arrive, carry the adventure of life, and go. We leave behind ripples: fragments of DNA to spread through the human race; skills passed on; nuggets of wisdom; memories of love. Some, very few, make history, marking an event or another, a fingerprint from the past, an indelible trace in our memory. They don’t die, but carry on with us.
Florin carries on with us. He had a gift for turning complex mathematics into simple-seeming and fascinating stories. Page after page one learns about the motion of the planets, time, tsunamis and the lives of great scholars. His determined and consistent efforts have blazed new trails in celestial mechanics and invited others to walk them. Florin is here, bringing joy and wonder in our minds. Thank you!
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Carey Barnard Marina, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your sweetheart, Florin. As difficult as it is, take comfort in knowing sometime you will be reunited with him and other family members. You are in my prayers. Sincere condolences, Carey Barnard.
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Lone Schou Dear Mariana, my deepest and most sincere condolences.I was so impressed with the way you managed and coped with the extremely difficult situation you had during the last weeks in Singapore. Even though I only knew the two of you for a short time I miss both of you and our great and enjoyable tennis, yoga and zumba together. I look at your beautiful plants every day and make sure they are nursed well.
Warm and sincere regards
Lone
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Helen Morrison Dear Mariana,
I was very shocked and saddened to hear of your husband’s death. I am so very sorry that you have suffered such a profound loss. You were blessed to have had such a wonderful partner for many years and I trust that all the happy memories you have of your time together will sustain you. My thoughts and prayers are with you — please let me know if I can offer any other kind of support. With love and sympathy, Helen
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Andrei Dragomir Florin, who would passionately delve into peculiarities of ancient Chinese mathematics, or who would tell you what were the odds of meeting in distant parts of the world somebody from your hometown, who could talk to you about the richness of Sichuan cuisine or with whom you could dissect for hours the latest tennis rankings … Florin, the scientist, the mentor, the tennis partner … it is hard to believe you are no longer with us but you will live forever in our hearts and minds. Farewell, dear friend.
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Tai Yong and Sylvia Tan We are deeply saddened by the sudden loss of a dear friend and colleague. Florin was a popular and much loved member of Yale NUS College. He was interested in many aspects of College life, and was always actively engaged. We will miss him.
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Jenifer Raver Dear Mariana,
We here at Yale-NUS are deeply saddened by the news of Florin’s passing. I will not forget Florin’s enthusiasm for and great contribution to the College.
In a very short time, you and he became valued and respected members of our community, and we will miss you both very much.
Please know that you, your family and friends are in our thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Jenifer Raver
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Evelyn Cobley Dear Mariana
I just heard from Keith and Lida that you have lost your wonderful husband. Although I didn’t know Florin well, I enjoyed playing tennis with him at Saanich. I was truly shocked hearing about his passing. My thoughts are with you at this sad moment.
Evelyn
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Khoo Hoon Eng Dear Mariana,
Paul and I send our deepest condolences to you and your family on your loss. We will always remember Florin for his cheerfulness, his jokes and amazing friendliness. I remember fondly our lunches in Cendana dining hall and our Heads of Studies meetings when he would bring wisdom to our discussions. He gave his strong support as we put together the program with the School of Computing. I am so sad that he only managed so spend such a short time with us. He will be missed at Yale-NUS College.Hoon Eng
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Aniza A.Wahid Dear Mariana,
Our deepest condolences on the passing of Florin. Hana and I are in shock and very sad and already deeply missing him. He was one of the nicest faculty we have met, so sincere and down to earth, and always full of life with his 3 great loves – you, mathematics and tennis. I recall our many conversations and it will always start with him asking how I am because of his genuine concern for us. Please know that Florin has made an impact in our lives, despite the short time we have with him in the College. We are missing him greatly and my prayers for God to give you strength during this extremely difficult time.
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Charlie Burton Dear Marina and Razvan,
Having been away from UVIC for several years, I learned of Florin’s passing only by reading the Times-Colonist’s obituary. I always remember him as vital, active, healthy, friendly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about almost any topic.
Therefore, I was, like many others, shocked to learn that he would no longer be around to contribute in so many ways.
I have learned much more about Florin’s amazing accomplishments and friendships by reading the testimonials, and I appreciate him even more as a result.
I wish you all, including Elena, continued support from this loving community of friends.
Charlie Burton
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Toni Kasprow Mariana
All I can do is remember Florins smile and send you and your family my deepest condolences.
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Sanda si Toma Stoia Draga Marina, Razvan si Nasica,
Florin a fost nu numai un fiu, un sot si un tata exemplar, Florin a fost un OM.
A fost un om deosebit, care ne-a marcat viata tuturor prin inteligenta, tact, iubire, grija; Florin a fost un exemplu de perseverenta si logica in tot ceea ce a construit in lumea pe care si-a cladit-o.
Acum cand sufletele noastre sunt pustiite de durere si regret, nu ne ramane decat un singur gand:nimic si nimeni nu-l va scoate pe Florin din inimile si gandurile noastre.El va ramane ca un model de pretuire pentru tot ceea ce a facut si a lasat in urma lui.
Iar pentru voi, cei care i-ati fost alaturi pana in ultima clipa, un singur cuvant:RESPECT.Cu toata dragostea,
Sanda si Toma Stoia
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Jon Berrick Dear Marina,
I want you to know that you have numerous friends in Singapore who are thinking fondly of your brief time with us. I really enjoyed getting to know you both (including happy meals together – Chinese, Indian, Swiss), and hearing from Florin’s students and colleagues how much they appreciated learning from and working with him.
Florin’s intelligence, energy and sincerity made him a fine companion. May you find some comfort in the knowledge that around the world Florin is valued for his mathematical achievements and warm memories of his friendship.
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Michael Gastner Dear Mariana,
I’m filled with deep sadness that Florin is no longer with us. In November he was still full of energy. I had no idea that the time to say farewell would come so soon. Although his stay in Singapore was unfortunately cut short by a tragic turn of events, he certainly left his mark here thanks to his can-do attitude, intelligence and friendliness.
My thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
Michael
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Alina and David Reid Dear Marina,
We are saddened and shocked by the sudden passing of Florin. We will always remember his modesty, approachable manner and towering intellect. A great man was taken too soon from humanity and will be missed by us all. May he rest in peace. We will cherish the memories and are thinking of you and Razvan at this trying time and wish you peace and strength.
Our Sincere Condolences,
Alina and David
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Elly McKeague Dear Mariana,
Mark and I send our most sincere condolences.
I’ll always remember the twinkle in Florin’s eyes.
He was so brilliant in the world of academia but for me he shone most brightly as a friendly human being who took such interest in everyone and everything.
I am so very sorry for the loss of your wonderful husband and friend..
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Deb McGinnis My deepest condolences to you, Mariana, and your son on the loss of your husband. Your love and memories of this amazing man will keep him alive in your hearts forever. He will always be with you. If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.
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Loredana McGuire & Roxanna Feraru Mariana & Razvan,
Out memories of Florin are ones of his smiling face, his incredible ability to engage a room, and his positive and encouraging personality .
Roxy and I always remember his wise words and advice.
He shined light on many of us.
May god rest his soul.
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Amanda Heffelfinger Mariana and Raz,
Your Florin was a luminous man with a big brain and a big heart. He has left you way too soon. Thinking of you lots and wishing you all the best during this sad time.
Amanda
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Sorina Barza Draga Marina si Razvan!
Condoleante! Suntem tristi si socati de vestea asta!
Florin o sa ramana in memoria noastra, toata viatza!
Sorina si Ilie
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Ciprian Sincere condoleanțe familiei !!!
L- am cunoscut in doar câteva ocazii dar de fiecare data a fost un om încântător și o prezenta deosebita …cu totul aparte!
Dumnezeu să-l odihneasca!Ciprian Sava
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Vivian Muir Dear Mariana-
I was very sorry to read about Florin’s passing in the newspaper. I didn’t know him well, but the times that I spent together with the two of you were most enjoyable. I’m sorry that he is no longer with us. Take good care of yourself.
Sincerely, Vivian Muir
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Mariana Popa Dear Marina,
Hearing about Florin’s passing has deeply saddened us. He was a kind and gentle soul, a brilliant mind and a wonderful man cherished by everyone who knew him. There are no magical words to take away your pain but we want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to you and your family. Please accept our sincere condolences! May God bless and comfort you during this time of grief!
Mariana and Titus Popa
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Steve Pointing Dear Mariana,
I wanted to let you know how desperately sad I was to hear of Florin’s passing. He was an amazing man and I felt a close bond with him despite only knowing him a short while. Yvonne and I send you our thoughts and prayers.
With much thought for you and your family,
Steve and Yvonne Pointing
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Cynthia Sung Dear Marina,
It is hard for me to believe how quickly this all happened. Just a few months ago, Florin was walking with us (a group of Yale-NUS faculty and spouses) on Arab Street, full of curiosity about Singapore. Although he was at Yale-NUS only a short time, he earned the affection and respect of his colleagues, the students and tennis team players. We will miss him.
With sadness in my heart for your loss. Cynthia
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Ernesto Pérez Chavela I knew Florin since 26 years ago when we agree in the international Conference Equadiff 91, held in Barcelona, Spain during 1991. In that conference we present the results of our respective Ph. D. thesis. I meet him three times in the next three years, after that, we decide to collaborate since our interests in math were so similar. Since then we have worked together in many projects and our friendship increased more and more every day. We have collaborated as co- authors in several papers, as well in the organization of international conferences, interchange of students and multiple research visits both in Canada and Mexico. Our research is close, and the discussions with him, always have been fruitful of new ideas. Along all these years I could discover in Florin a brilliant person, he was imaginative, intuitive, with clear ideas, spotting the important focus points. I have the fortune to participate with him in the development of new ideas in celestial mechanics and Hamiltonian dynamical systems. Working with him was also funny and pleasant, he was energetic, optimistic, with a contagious enthusiasm, in few words he was an outstanding mathematician.
As you can see in his CV, Florin was also a very good teacher, is amazing the long list of undergraduate and graduate students that he had. He knew how to stimulate to his students to go deeper in any new project, and any new idea that the students want to work.
Last but not least, I have to mention that he was also an extraordinary writer, one of his books “Celestial encounters” has been translated to several languages, it has become a bestseller and a required lecture for all students interested in celestial mechanics. I also love his books “The lost millenium” and “Megadisas- ters”. I have all his books with a nice dedicatory to me, they form worth part of my library.Last February 1st, I received an e-mail from Florin, he still was in Singapore, it was a deepest emotional good bye letter, where he told me the bad news about his illness. He finished that letter with a simple: I must take a nap now, Cheers Ernesto!
Good bye my brother, I will miss so much.
Ernesto Pérez Chavela
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Hildeberto Cabral Dear Marina
I am very sad with the notices about Florin’s passing away. I always remember him in his lively way of dealing with people. In the several occasions that I met him I was impressed with his friendly attitudes.
I am deeply sorry for his early departure.
Hildeberto
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Kathy Knight Mariana,
So sorry to hear of Florin’s passing. I met him when you had a group of us from St.Ann’s to your home for Christmas lunch. He was very charming. Thinking of you at this sad time.
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Ion Draga Marina si Răzvan
Am aflat abia ieri seara despre moartea lui Florin, stire care ne-a șocat teribil. Nu ne venea sa credem știind cât de activ era Florin și ce viata cumpătată a dus. Va transmitem condoleanţe si suntem cu voi in timpurile astea dureroase. O sa fim la înmormântarea lui alaturi de voi. Îi urăm sa se odihneasca in pace!
Familia Cernat
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Tim Ebata Mariana – our deepest condolences on your your loss. Florin was always so cheerful and kind on and off the tennis court. He will be dearly missed at the Saanich Tennis Club. RIP Florin.
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Yanxia Deng Dear Mariana,
I am truly sorry to hear of the loss of Florin. My condolences to you and your family. I am grateful and happy to have known Florin. He is such a kind, enthusiastic, and encouraging person.
I only met him in person once at a conference in December 2016. I can’t imagine that it was the first and also the last time I see him in person. He gave very nice and inspiring comments for my talk as a senior mathematician to a young fellow. We had a very happy meet. I still remember Florin’s interest in learning Chinese characters. He had these super smart and funny understandings of different characters.
I really appreciated it when he promised to support my research at UVIC. I came to UVIC last August when he had left for Singapore. We had discussions through emails and Skype. He leads me to the field of curved N-body problem (as Simon Zhu mentioned), I love this topic very much, and will continue these topics in the spirit of Florin. His kind face remains forever in my image. Hope you and your family find peace and comfort.
Sincerely,
Yanxia
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Cristian Cerb Draga Marina,
Iti adresez condoleantele mele si regret enorm ca sotul tau nu mai e printre noi! Florin a fost un mare matematician si am si eu idee de matematica ca fosta pasiune, dar eu l-am indragit mai ales pentru formidabila lui blindete, bunatate si simplitate. Mi-au ramas in minte o gramada de vorbe pe care speram sa i le pot adresa, simt un gol in piept. Mereu mi-a placut de voi ca si cuplu si pot doar sa imi imaginez ce e in sufletul tau indurerat. Te imbratisez ca pe o sora!
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Shuqiang (Simon) Zhu Dear Ms Diacu,
I am shocked and sad with the passing of Dr Florin. Please accept my sincerest condolences. Florin was my supervisor of my phd program, in 2013-2017, at Uvic. I will never forget him, a gracious, reliable, and inspiring person. He played such an important role in my life. If not him, I might not doing the career as a mathematician, which I enjoy most. I owe a lot to him, personally and scientifically. I can not believe this, with Yanxia (a postdoc at Uvic), we were writing a paper together, and the manuscript was only finished in January 2018. Please let me know if there is anything I can help you.
Shuqiang (Simon, my English name given by Florin) Zhu
Erstwhile student of Florin DBelow are some thoughts that I would like to share about Florin.
Florin was a great mentor. He is always encouraging me, and does not set bounds for my research. He always says, research is an adventure, which maybe rewarding or not, but you have to first go to the bush. When I had any problem, I know that he would like to discuss if I turn to him. I miss the talks we have had in his office every week during the past few years. I remember his support when I lost my father in 2014. I was led by him into the area of celestial mechanics in the 3-sphere and 3-hyperbolic sphere.
Florin is an outstanding mathematician. Florin once said, mathematics is not, as many people think, just about proving a famous conjecture, but it is first of all about finding new viable paths that keep our curiosity alive. His main scientific accomplishments in recent years are his work in celestial mechanics in 3-sphere and 3-hyperbolic sphere, or, the curved N-body problem, as Florin called it. Though there were research in this field, Florin brings new life to it. It is very brilliant that Florin use the cartesian coordinates to write the differential equations. This approach allows to bring the linear algebra techniques into the study of the equations of motions, which is especially convenient for the study of relative equilibria. Thus, it leads to the study of central configurations of the curved N-body problem, which would surely be important for the study of the problem.
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Camelia Florin was a exemplary in our community. His kindness, positivity and teachings always enlighten us. It was an honor to have known such a great person and we will truly miss him. May God embrace you in comfort during this time.
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Lorrainne Dixon Mariana,
I was so very sorry to read of your husband’s passing. Please accept my sincere condolences. I really have no words to say how sorry I am for you and your family. I was so in awe of your family story of leaving one country and starting again in another one, with a new language and a different culture. Your family came on a most remarkable journey- you clearly were very courageous, and I hope that your courage and your memories serve you well in the days ahead.
Take care of yourself.
Lorrainne Dixon
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Adrian, Alex and Ana Dear Mariana,
Florin was such an amazing, happy, supportive and thoughtful friend to us!
He loved to live, work and play and his good disposition was epidemic.
In our memories, we will treasure well our friendship and good times we spent together with him.
We’ pray for his soul to Rest In Peace!
With love, Fanat family
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Juan Sanchez Dear Ms Diacu,
I am so sorry for your loss. Please accept my condolences. I will never forget the support he offered me when I was a grad student, I had the privilege of working with him and Professor Ernesto Pérez during my PhD. I admire Professor Florin´s research in mathematics, it has been part of my inspiration.
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Melvin Leok Dear Mariana,
My deepest condolences during this time of grief. I was shocked and saddened to learn of Florin’s untimely passing, and I will sorely miss his warmth of personality, generosity of spirit, and mathematical passion.
Melvin
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Lida Jind Dear Mariana,
I recall with great fondness first meeting you & Florin in Cuba, on the tennis court, by chance, while we were all vacationing there, & our delight at learning you were from Victoria, our new home. It was the beginning of a valued friendship, on & off the tennis court. Florin’s significant accomplishments in his field and his international stature never obscured his willingness to engage with others in a most personable & genuine manner. He will be greatly missed & our sincere sympathies are extended to you & your son.
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VASILE SI ANA SURDU DRAGA MARINA SINTEM SOCATI! NIMEN NU SA GINDIT CA FLORIN NE VA
PARASI ATIT DE CURIND SI RAPID!DUMNEZEU SA-L ODIHNEASCA IN PACE!A FOST
UN OM MINUNAT CA PRIETEN !! UN GENIU !! NOI CU TOTII ERAM MINDRII DE EL SI VOM FI MEREU! SA TE AJUTE DUMNEZEU IN CLIPELE ACESTE FOARTE GRELE! PRIMESTE CONDOLEANTELE NOASTRE SI NOI VOM FII ALATURI DE TINE SI RAZVAN!!
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Marilyn Copes Dear Mariana,
I send my sincere condolences to you, your son, and your mother in law on the passing of someone so dear to you all, as well as to the wider community to whom your loved one influencedto a great degree. My sincerest thoughts and prayers for you all at this most difficult time in your lives. Sincerely, Marilyn Copes
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Danuta Blachewicz Danuta Blachewicz
February 15,2018
Dear Mariana and Razvan,
I am very sorry about the death of Florin. Please accept my deepest sympathy.Sicerely, Danuta
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Daniel si Petra Bezna Dear Marina and Razvan,
The pain of losing a loved one is unbearable. Our thoughts are with you. Please accept our deepest condolences. Florin’s beautiful soul and mind touched us and everyone around him in gentle ways. He will continue to live on in our memories.
Florin, prieten drag, odihneste-te in pace.
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Liliana He was kind, he was carismatic. And he smiled. It was the honor to get to know him. He left too soon. We will miss him oh, so much. Our deepest sympathy to you Marina and to your son at this difficult time. Be brave.
Yours,
Fraser and Liliana
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Bogdan and Scarlette Verjinschi Dear Marina and Razvan:
Florin was a great friend and he will be dearly missed.
Please accept our most heartfelt condolences in this saddest of times.Bogdan and Scarlette.
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Karen taber Bill and I are saddened at the news of Florians sudden passing.
We will remember his smiling face on the tennis courts. His enthusiasm was contagious and made us smile. He will be dearly missed by all who came in contact with him through UVIC, tennis, etc.
Our sincere condolences Mariana.
Karen Taber and Bill Bradley
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Paul Mohapel Mariana, our condolences and thoughts go out to you and your family at this challenging time. Please let us know if there is anything we can help you. Sincerely, Paul, Joana, Ana, & Sara
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Jean Morgan My dear Mariana I am so shocked and saddened by the news of Florin’s passing. My heart felt condolences to you and your son, Razvan.
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Keith Porter To Mariana and Razvan,
We are deeply saddened at hearing of the loss of Florin so prematurely. As I read the condolences from the world of mathematics I realize he was very much loved and respected in his chosen field, and contributed at the highest possible level in his academic career. Lida and I have had the privilege of knowing him only recently through our chance encounter at a resort in Cuba and later through a memorable walk around Elk Lake and as co-coaches to the University of Victoria tennis team. We know Florin as a generous, sincere and remarkably modest man who loved his family (including his dog) very much and did everything he could to contribute to the community around him. If his dedication to his math students was anywhere near as complete as his dedication to his students on the tennis team, they were very well served. He loved good conversation and when talking to him, you always knew he was truly listening to you, gauging what you were saying seriously and responding to your thoughts with compassion, humour, and good natured concern for you. He was a pleasure to know, we are just sorry that we could not spend more time with him. Our thoughts are with you, and please know that in knowing him, many, many people’s lives have been enriched by him. We are sorry he has passed away, but very happy that he lived. He will be well-remembered, by his books, his words and his actions.
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Alina si Adi Draga Marina si Răzvan,
Sunt momente ca acesta cind e de mirare ca nu sta lumea in loc.
Numărăm peste 23 de ani de amintiri frumoase pe care le vom păstra pentru totdeauna. Florin a fost un exemplu de om, pe cit de talentat, pe atit de modest si cu un suflet mare.
O sa ne fie tare dor de el!
Va suntem alături si ne gindim la voi.Cu Tristețe,
Alina si Adi.
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Judith Clarke Dear Mariana and Razvan
My sincerest condolences to you on the passing of Florin, your loved husband and father, and a delightful man for all of us who hung out with him. My love and hugs to you during this dreadful time.
love, Judith
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Ramona Pal Dear Marina, Razvan, and Elena.
My condolences from all my heart I grew up in Sibiu, too. Florin and my sister Nausicaa were in high school together.
When I was a kid, he always treated me like his little sister. Ramona Pal
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Alessandra Celletti Dear Marina,
Accept my deepest condolences for the loss of Florin. He was really important for the scientific community and a special person for his friends and colleagues. I will always remember the wonderful days in Victoria and your participation to the CELMEC meeting in Viterbo.
I will keep a wonderful memory of Florin.
To you and your family, my heartest and deepest sympathy.
Alessandra
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Richard Montgomery Dear Marina,
I was shocked and saddened by Florin’s death – to my
mind quite sudden. I am honored and hold dear
the memory of visiting you in your house in Victoria,
the hospitality you and Florin extended to my wife Judith and I,
and of getting to know you a bit.Here is my testimonial for Florin.
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More than any theorem, book or paper, what comes to mind when I think of Florin Diacu
is his persistent effective support of our common field, mathematical celestial mechanics,
the joy he took in being with his fellow researchers and the joy and intensity
with which he approached his other vocation: writing.
He mentored a number of students, seeing them
through to the point of having their own succesful academic careers. He ran countless conferences
and he made sure that us participants would not retreat to our cells after the talks but
rather did what he could to make us interact socially.In the last decade or two he has focussed his research on the N-body problem on space forms,
which is to say on the sphere and hyperbolic space. These areas have a long history, going
back to Lobachevsky and Florin was acutely aware of that history. He was the person to go
to with any historical questions of this surprising corner of our world.In his book `Celestial Encounters’ he performed an enormous public service. In his poems he startled us
with his seriousness interleaved with playfullness.He will be missed.
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Alina Dumitrescu Draga Marina,
Nu as fi vrut sa-ti scriu niciodata asta.
Sunt inca socata de vestea pe care am primit-o, dar din pacate suntem trecatori prin lumea asta……si Florin asa un om minunat a plecat atat de repede.
Suntem cu ganduri bune alaturi de tine si Razvan in aceste momente de grea incercare.
Dumnezeu sa-l odihneasca in pace
Alina si Marius
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Gabriel and Monica Andrei Dear Mariana and Răzvan,
We are so sorry to hear of your loss. We are so saddened and truly shocked of Florin’s unexpected and tragic passing. Please accept our deepest sympathy at this most difficult time.
May you rest in peace, Florin.
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Horia si Sabine Cu inimile îndurerate, ne rugăm acum pentru alinarea suferinței familiei îndoliate și pentru odihna veşnică a celui care a fost un om bun și vesel, cu dragoste de oameni. Dumnezeu să îl odihnească în pace și să îi vegheze somnul cel de veci!
Sincere condoliante!
Horia & Sabine
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Barbara Haupthoff Mariana, I am so sad to hear about Florin, my heart breaks for you and your family. I pray you will be given comfort in this time of great grief! Much love, Barb
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George Dumitrache Mariana,please accept my sincere condolences.
Sincerely ,
George Dumitrache
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Melanie Murray Mariana, I am so sorry to learn of Florin’s sudden passing. Although I did not know him personally, I know from all of the stories you told that you had an exciting and adventurous life together. I am keeping you in my thoughts.
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Zhifu Xie Dear Ms. Diacu,
Death is never welcome but it is especially disturbing when it hits unexpectedly. I cannot believe it is true when I received the message that Dr. Florin Diacu has passed away. It seemed only a few days ago when he told me that he was excited to accept a new position in Singapore. I’ll miss Dr. Diacu. Please know that I’ll be praying for you and your family.
There are many aspects of Dr. Diacu’s outstanding accomplishments in mathematics I can talk about. I believe many other colleagues will write too. So I’ll focus on one word that try to capture Dr. Diacu as an exceptional mathematician in my personal opinion.
The word is ‘impact’. Most mathematicians can make some impact in their fields but not in general public. Besides his outstanding research in n-body problem in curved space, Dr. Diacu has very successfully conveyed complex scientific and scholarly ideas to the general public. I am benefited from reading his famous “Celestial Encounters: The Origins of Chaos and Stability” in Chinese version when I was a graduate student. Many students and scholars know more about the development of chaos theory and some of them get interests in this field because of this book. This book had large impact and it won the Best Academic Book Award of 1997.
Sincerely,
Zhifu
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Marian Gidea Draga Marina,
Ne pare nespus de rău sa aflam despre trecerea în neființă a lui Florin. Este greu de crezut cum un om atât de tânăr, energetic, și plin de optimism, sa se stingă atât de neașteptat, atât de repede. Dumnezeu sa îl odihnească!
Te îmbrățișam cu mult drag,
Marian si Claudia
14 februarie 2018
New York, NY
Below are some thoughts that I would like to share about Florin.
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In this day and age, very few mathematicians have the brilliance and destiny to open up new research venues in mathematics. The Romanian mathematician Florin Diacu was among the few chosen ones. His recent work on the n-body problem curved spaces managed to build new bridges across several domains: celestial mechanics, geometry, and general relativity. It is certain that his stellar accomplishments grant him a glowing place in the great book of the sciences. Equally worthy are the bright marks that he left on the souls of his numerous friends, collaborators and students. His energy, optimism, frankness, and sense of humor were heartwarming. He was always very generous to share his knowledge, insights, and advice, always willing to help. Through all what he did for the people around him as well as for the sciences, he will always be felt as a living presence, like he has never left us.
***
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Lennard Bakker Mariana,
I am so sorry for your loss with the passing of Florin. He was a great mentor when I was a student at Victoria during 1989-1993. Florin played a pivotal role in directing me as a Master’s student. If not for him, I might not have the fulfilling career I now enjoy as a mathematician. He was a kind and gracious person, a dear friend, and will be greatly missed. My condolences to you and your family at this time of grief.
Lennard Bakker
Erstwhile student of Florin Diacu
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Carles Simo Dear Marina,
Ernesto told us about the health problems of Florin and Stefanella has
just told us about the end. We are shocked and deeply sorry for this.
We hope that thanks to the palliative treatment he was not suffering.We coincided in many scientific events and he was in Barcelona
several times since long time ago. We have been always impressed by his
energy and enthusiasm and we collaborate with him in a paper.He was an outstanding mathematician, mainly doing an impressive work in
dynamics of particles and celestial mechanics, including both regular
and chaotic motion.But the topic which has made him more popular is, without any doubt,
related to N-body problems in curved spaces, either with positive or
negative curvature, with varying curvature and studying also how to
relate motion in curved spaces and planar spaces. In the last years
he did very important contributions to the knowledge of these
problems. He also pointed out the relevance of the study of the
motion of particles in curved spaces among many researchers.
He was a world leader in all these topics.He has also written several impressive books concerning not only
mathematical topics but also historical facts and the contributions of
outstanding mathematicians. This gives a clear evidence not only of his
mathematical mind, but also the humanistic aspects.It is really a sad thing that a young person as him, full of energy and
in a key point of his professional career is gone so suddenly.He was a very friendly person always ready to help everybody and with a
great interest in the work and the personal aspects of many people.Really a quite exceptional person!
We keep both of you in our mind.
Regina Martinez and Carles Simo
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Jair Koiller Dear Marina,
All the people that had the privilege to meet Florin want to express to you how much he was liked.
Florin made friends everywhere and will always be remembered in Brazil.
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Neilane Mayhew Dear Mariana,
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts go out to you and Razvan in this very difficult time.
Neilane
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Christina-Britta Fehse Dear Marina, dear Razvan, dear Elena,
as we heard today that Florin passed away, we need to let you know that we are incredibly sad, shocked and speechless.
We are students of his first mathematics class in Medias, Romania in the years 1984 to 1988. We remember him as the most friendly and honest teacher we ever had. We spend great times in the class, but also in the Romanian Carpathians, in summer hiking, in winter skiing. He loved mathematics and nature. We are very grateful for the time we spend with him.
We really need to let you know that words seem inadequate to express the sadness we feel about Florin’s death. We are here to support you in your grieving process. Wishing you peace to bring comfort, the courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your hearts.
With sincere sympathy
Mihaela Gabroveanu
Marianne Dengel
Britta Ionescu (Fehse)
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Bill & Judy Reed Dear Mariana and Razvan
We were so sorry to hear of Florin’s unexpected and tragic passing. We are thinking of you in this sad time.
Sincerest condolences
Bill and Judy.
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Irina Gavrilova Dear Mariana, Razvan and Elena, please accept my deepest condolences.
Florin was the first person in Canada who believed in me and hired me for my first full-time job at PIMS. I will never forget his support and encouragement, great sense of humor. He left this world way too soon.
RIP, Florin.
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Jane Ye Dear Mariana and Razvan,
Hong and I are very very shocked and sad with the passing of our dear friend Florin. At this most difficult time of your life, we would like you to know that we are thinking about you and will be with you. Please let us know if there is anything we can help you. Florin had a great life and we will miss him. Take care, Jane and Hong.
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Henry Lutte Dear Marianna and Family,
I’m truly sorry for your loss and can only wish you all the best in the coming times.
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Petruț Barna Sincere condoleanțe din partea elevilor cărora le-a fost diriginte și profesor la Școala Gen. Nr. 5. Chiar dacă (poate) nu ne știți, Florin ne-a fost mentor, ne-a oferit multora dintre noi un model demn de urmat si ne-a aratat ca transformarea unui vis in realitate sta in mainile noastre. Gândurile noastre îndurerate se îndreaptă spre voi in aceste momente triste.
Drum bun, Florine, odihneste-te in pace printre stelele care ai încercat toată viața sa le dai de urma.
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Mary Dimech Mariana, please accept my sincerest condolences. I will pray for you and your son at this difficult time. God bless you and keep you in the warm embrace of your loving family and friends. Sincerely, Mary
Unfortunately, I never met Dr. Florin. However I have read his books and several of his publications. He was an outstanding communicator of science and math. We have lost a real star from our midst. I wish his family strength during this difficult time. And I can say that his books and papers will be read with interest and enthusiasm for years to come. He was a truly gifted communicator of difficult subjects.