"Mitch" aka DukeRimmer has passed away...

[Victor_PR]

demands. I am so sorry to hear about this loss. My sincere condolences to the family.

Mitch "Duke" - RIP.

[bmw_jeff]

Mitch was a great guy, a total 02 enthusiest. I just saw him at his home in early May and I asked him if he was going to attend the 02 gathering at Palo Alto on the 16th and he said he was going to the hospital for an operation and just hoped to be alive by the 16th. So sad, since it sounds like he made it through the surgery but got complications afterward. I got some used side glass from him, and saw he had 4 02's in various states of disassembly on his property and a huge "barn" of parts. We talked for over an hour about 02 originality topics as my 67 is nearly all original. One argument he had on the forums before was the correct placement of the sunroof seals. He insisted that the are to be slightly above the roofline when installed, not flush. That's the last thing we talked about before I drove home, I'm sure he would want it posted again. RIP Mitch.

[oh2fly]

I haven't checked the site for a while and first thing I see is the RIP post. There is nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. I did biz with Mitch a few times and I was impressed by his honesty, knowledge and sense of fair play. I wish I could have told him that and that I was jealous of him. Have you seen his organization of parts? Labeled tote boxes all nice and neat. I bet he could find any part he had. I only saw pics, but I bet any of the gang who went there would back me up. Man, will he be missed! RIP Mitch

[SteveJ]

Have you seen his organization of parts? Labeled tote boxes all nice and neat. I bet he could find any part he had.

A friend of mine recently helped out the family of a friend that had passed suddenly. Boxes of BMW parts and nobody in the family had any idea what anything was. My friend helped separate the wheat from the chaf so they could take care of things.

I have quite a bit of organization in my garage, but I also have more areas of controlled chaos. I need to get off my duff and get a bit more organized and make up some inventories of what is in there. If I were to pass, it would make things easier for my family. On a happier thought, while I am here, it would save me time when doing projects to know what I have and where it is. Time saved = more time to go play.

[kweebs]

I'm new to the FAQ but wanted to express my condolences. Sounds like Mitch was a class act and will be sorely missed. From what I've read on these posts, Mitch was selfless and giving of himself in his knowledge of 02's. Hopefully we can continue to follow Mitch's example of giving which will keep his spirit, and the 02 spirit, alive and well for many years to come.

My condolences to his family & friends.

[robspeed]

Hi all, I recently ordered some parts from FAQer DukeRimmer and I just received a letter from his wife letting me know that Mitch had passed away a little over a week ago. I searched the posts and didn't see any other announcement--I just wanted to let everyone know. DukeRimmer was always quick to offer great tips, pictures and had many hard to find parts that he would sell for fair prices. If anyone has any follow-up info, please feel free to reply.

Thanks for everything Mitch, you will be missed!

Ben

Edit: It looks like he stated in previous a note to a FAQer below that he had been in the hospital for a nephrectomy which is the medical name procedure for removing a kidney. I don't know any more, but I assume complications from this procedure or a related illness took his life too soon. My last email from him came on May 24.

Edit 2: On July 14th, I assembled a printout of all the member comments posted on this topic and mailed them to Mitch's wife.

I invite everyone in this thread to email me their street addy so i can put you on the sympathy card mailing list. Its easy and it will only cost you a stamp, and it will mean VERY VERY VERY MUCH to Mitch's family...

EDIT!!!!!!!!!!!! oh holy crap.... i just saw that eastsidebimmer has already done this!! GOD I SUCK!!!!

upon reflection, this is another edit by the way, i really dont know what to do. I think an actual card sent out with actual signatures would be super cool, but I dont want to overdo it. how can you overdo sympathy tho? FAQit, ima get a card....

another edIt... i would have done this earlier except i was offline for a while, and steve i know you wanted to do something similar but i think *actual* sigs would be really cool. I remember the feeling i had when Bill Williams sent us the picture of the V@V gruppe, and all the different pens and actual signatures, there is something tactile about it, tangible. It made me feel a physical warmth in my chest, a comforting feeling, just seeing those sigs and the marks of the various pens.... i guess that is why i am doing this....