Remembering Franz Jahoda, 1930 - 2012

“We know how the sky is blue, but we don’t know why,” Franz said while marveling the glowing blanket of atmosphere above us. With a career in theoretical physics, specializing in light and optics behind him, the statement not only had profound dimensions in and of itself, but was telling about the man who made it.

Franz and his wife Pat and I were having lunch, perched on the rim of a canyon in the backcountry of Bandelier National Monument. It was a beautiful fall day in northern New Mexico, the air and light so clear if it could make a sound it would ring like a bell.

Franz possessed the rare brilliance of an open mind and humble nature, able to embrace and find inspiration in the fact we do not and likely will never have all the answers. And so, it was always a delight to be in his company. We shared many lively, wondering conversations, many high summits, and other slices of life including the trials, as friends do.

For all his humility, Franz once revealed a flashy side. Curious about his lifelong passion for downhill skiing - after all, you get yourself hauled up a hill to simply slide down over and over again - I asked him what was it about the sport which held him. Without hesitation he exclaimed, “I can show off!”

Many of us now feel the hard ache of missing Franz Jahoda. I do. Fortunately he has left us with uncountable fine memories, and a big blue sky above to look at and wonder about.

Gordon Bunker