By Andrew Matranga, Faculty Adviser to the Clarion
As winter quarter came to a close a few weeks back, it was easy to get caught up in the rush of finals and spring break. But if you frequented the halls of the Media, Film and Journalism Studies Building on DU’s southern boundary, it was hard to miss the pop-up memorial that appeared outside of the office of Bob Yablans, Senior Research Support Specialist for University Technology Services.
Yablans passed away on March 10 after battling cancer, and the halls of the MFJS Building are a bit quieter now that the man in the “Hobbit Hole,” as he called his cramped, elevated office, is gone. But his biggest fans—the faculty and the students—helped fill the vacuum left by his all-too-soon departure with an impromptu, heartfelt memorial. It’s not the same as Bob hopping down from his office and shuffling toward you with his cheshire-cat grin and outstretched hand, but it helped ease the pain and process the grief.
An unassuming but affable character, Yablans graduated from DU in 1985 with a BA in mass communication, and specialized in film and TV production. Over his decade and a half working at DU, he served as the director of engineering for the School of Communication and then the Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies, where he supervised the film and video production and post-production operations. But his work didn’t stop at the MFJS door, as he worked with various Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) departments, namely Emergent Digital Practices, and he helped the School of Art and Art History.
This past summer, Bob helped revamp the Clarion’s entire computer network, and it’s safe to say his work lives on in this issue.
Throughout his illness, he still showed up to work, and he even fielded tech support calls while in chemotherapy. I know, because the last time Bob and I spoke was mid-February, when we were talking about a Clarion computer that was acting up. You never think that the last time you talk to a dear friend it will be about work, but that’s what happened.
If nothing else (and I learned a lot from him), Bob’s passing has taught me this: Don’t wait to call your loved ones. In fact, finish reading this story and make a call to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
And please talk about anything but work.
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There will be Memorial Service and Celebration of the Life of Bob and his many contributions to the University community on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 – 11 a.m. in the Hamilton Recital Hall at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP by April 10.
