It is with great sadness that we report the death of our friend and colleague Jeff Patterson of Physicians for Responsibility.  We received the following announcement just this morning.

 Dear family of PSR.

I’m sorry to inform you that Jeff Patterson died last night.  He had a heart attack at the hotel and an arrhythmia in the ambulance.  Mary called John Rachow this am to inform PSR and his friends.

Our thoughts and well wishes for support are with Mary, who will be heading back to WI cancelling their vacation.

The world has lost a generous and kind man, who did so much for so many!

We will all miss him!

Catherine Thomasson, MD

Executive Director,   Physicians for Social Responsibility

Jeff was just beginning a vacation with his partner Mary in St. Martins.  To show the kind of person he was, he responded to an e-mail request from NEIS to be its first expert in the 2014 “Night with the Experts” series in February.  He was willing to do this while still on vacation using Skype.

The power of his work and message can be seen online in the first segment of the Mountain of Waste 70 Years High Conference, held in Chicago in December of 2012.

One of his most notable contributions in his various presentations was to remind us all how the nuclear industry deals with their nuclear message using “SCUM” – Secrecy, Cover-Ups, and Minimization.

NEIS worked collaboratively with Jeff several other times in the past few years. Always sharp, on target with his messages, and a consummate professional, he was also remarkably upbeat and very humorous when the situation required.  It always was a pleasure to work with him, and he always eagerly responded to opportunities to collaborate with NEIS.

To say that he will be missed is woefully inadequate.  We lost a giant, and a friend today.  Our deepest empathies go to Mary, his partner, who always accompanied him on the crusade for a less-nuclear world.