I’d like to acknowledge Dave Ohara for the support he has provided the family of Apple’s Olivier Sanche. I know there are many others. For those who don’t already know Sanche passed away suddenly on November 26th at the age of 41, leaving his wife Karine and a nine-year-old daughter Emilie. Sanche had a private funeral in France, but a memorial service is scheduled for January 28th in Los Gatos, CA.

A Memorial Fund has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank under the Olivier Sanche Memorial Fund, account #3165058052. The fund is open until January 23rd, after which the fund proceeds will be presented to Sanche's family towards Emilie's future education.

More information about the service and the fund is available at Ohara's blog. 

I did not know Sanche, and so I am somewhat at a loss to understand the response his death has elicited from the people who knew him and the wider data center design community. More than a handful of very good people died just this last year and every year, yet I am told that Olivier Sanche stood out in many ways as a person of generosity, warmth, spirit, drive, and accomplishment. That he had much more to offer when he was taken.

If so, we are all poorer for his loss. I wish I had met him.

I think we can all take a moment on January 28th to reflect on all the good people we lost during the year and to offer our support to the Sanche family and all the families who lost not a co-worker or colleague but a parent, a spouse, or a child.