The sad loss of Gabriel Moser

Gabriel
Moser: An Appreciation

I apologise I do not speak French… or German, Italian,
Spanish, Portuguese or any of the other languages Gabriel spoke, so my brief
words will be in English. He spoke English too so maybe that gives me
permission. Words. When Dirce asked me to say a few words today, my first
thought was, there are no words that can express my feelings of loss and
sadness. I know it is like that for you too. Gabriel was really my best friend
and when I heard that he had died a little part of me died as well.

Words. Words are the currency of the academic world.
Gabriel was the President of the International Association of People-Environment
Studies, or IAPS as we call it.  IAPS is a
world-wide organisation of researchers from across the design and social
science disciplines who are concerned to make the places we live in better. It
is not surprising that Gabriel was President of such an organisation. When I
sent an email around to all the members of IAPS informing them of the sad news –
and despite the fact that it was during a long public holiday – within in no
time at all I had received over thirty messages of shock, of sadness and of
love.

I would like to read out just some of the words that his
friends and colleagues wrote, as they speak far more eloquently of Gabriel’s qualities
and impact on people’s lives than I ever could.

From Mexico: “He
was an indefatigable and enthusiastic Master, always ready to guide in research
work. But he will be here always, in our hearts and in our work as professionals
committed to psychology, knowledge, teaching, research and the environment. We
love you Gabriel and appreciate the legacy of wisdom and love you left us.”
(Ana
Maritza Landázuri, Serafín Mercado, Alejandra Terán)

From the UK: “Gabriel was a warm, kind and generous
person and who played an vital role in the international community of
environmental psychologists. I will never forget the IAPS board dinners where
he always managed to create a wonderful atmosphere.” (Birgitta
Gatersleben)

From Italy: “I am terribly sad for this news, I do not
find the words to say anything meaningful, except that we will all miss this
special friend and colleague:  …I still
have with me a “joliè carte postal” with a picture of one of his
father’s paintings he sent me when I got married…” (Giuseppe Carrus)

From the United States: “….there are the few  – like Gabriel – larger than life, exuberant,
a laugh that reverberated and made us smile. These are the personas that remain
with us forever……..He was passionate about so much: environmental psychology,
Dirce and the children, his father Wilfrid and the foundation, good food and
drink…………….” (Gary Gumpert)

From Germany: “Many happy encounters, communications,
dinners, even a week-long visit in Gabriel’s home village in Switzerland come
to my mind. And I’ll never forget the IAPS Sao Paulo conference and the
wonderful after conference trip to Pantanal. It is wonderful to see how the
IAPS family gathers for and around Gabriel, at least electronically. He left us
too early and we will miss his commitment, his ideas, his humour and his great
friendship.” (Lenelis Kruse)

From Portugal: “It seems unreal that someone so full of
life, so truly in love with life, its pleasures and beauties, someone so
authentically connected with the persons around him, is no longer with us. We
will keep him with us in our memories just like that. His work will also be
continued, as he left us with an important legacy of books and papers. But I
would like to stress, in particular, the easy and warm international
connections that we have in environmental psychology as a legacy of his very
personal style.” (Luisa Lima)

From Spain: “….on behalf of the environmental psychology
group of Barcelona, I express our appreciation and thanks to a great teacher,
great person and great friend who has been Gabriel. He will be with us always.”
(Enric Pol)

It was believed in ancient Egypt that ‘whosoever´s name
is uttered, then he lives’. It is without doubt that Gabriel will always be
living amongst us, and I am happy about that.

 

David
Uzzell

Französische Kirche, Berne

4^th May 2011