"Happy birthday, Don.  I've been following behind you from birth, to Cornell, to struggling to support the ATA.  There is some progress, and as i drive by your house almost daily, I say a brief hello."

"I met Don in 2004 while working on the first antenna and backend for the Precision Array for EOR in Green Bank, West Virginia. I remember sitting on the sidewalk in front of Jansky lab and eating pizza with him, and driving back to Charlottesville. Great man !"

"Lynn and Mary Anne Urry really miss Don"

"Can't help but imagine Don settling in at HFA, our 'summer camp' - i can hear him referring to it as Biblical: Pestilence in bldg C (giant black flies & squirrel invasion), Sweltering Heat in bldg D, & Floods in bldg B...
remembering him & missing him here."

"Remembering Don brings up images of his kind face and gentle smile.  He was very special both as a scientist and a person."

"After a year I can still hardly believe this news. Don was a warm and friendly thesis advisor who always offered encouragement."

"Jim Moran's recent obit in Physics Today made me think about Don.  I first met Don in 1971, my first year of grad school at UVa when he was on his NRAO postdoc.  He was always willing to chat and support a callow grad student.  I just posted a story here about him."

"One year ago, Glenn Jones and I were observing at Hat Creek when we received the news of Don's death. Don made those very observations possible by his warm encouragement and his technical expertise. Today, by publishing that work, we hope to add a little more to his legacy."

"Don was such a fiery, lively person. I'm  very very saddened."

"I graduated high school with Don.I just found out about his passing when we were looking for our reunion.There are so many good things L could say about Don,although I hadn't seen him in many years.He was one of the most handsome men in our class.HE was also very intelligent.There is nothing bad I could say.He will be missed by all our classmates.Penny Strauss"

"Don has been always a support for the research and administrative staff of the department. After 10 years working at UC-Berkeley and at the SETI Institute, I am certain that we will miss this great scientist, humble professor, dynamic mentor and gentle friend. My condolences to all his family."

"While we were both students at Jodrell Bank from Sept. 1966 until March 1967, Don and I shared an attic "flat" in Wilmslow England.  We had many many hours of discussions on almost every topic imaginable including those rooted in our different backgrounds: mine in South Africa and his in the Eastern US.  At my wedding in April '67 he was my "Best Man."  I'm shocked and saddened at his death."

"As an administrative staff member of the Radio Astronomy Lab, I think back on the everyday contact with Don with pleasure, whether just walking past him in the hall (with his characteristic fast walk), or remembering his good natured laughter at all the Xmas party Don impersonations. Busy as he was, with his desk and chair right next to the door, he made me feel like he was always there for us."

"It is still very difficult for me to accept that Don Backer is no longer with us. He was one of the kindest, most caring people I have ever known, and a tremendous scientist as well. His leadership within our Astronomy Department, his great passion for discovery, and his wonderful friendship will be deeply missed."

"Although I have worked at RAL for a long time, I only recently began to know Don.  I was so impressed and hopeful as I watched him assume a larger leadership role.  He was clearly very gifted in many ways.  I miss the opportunity to know him better.  My condolences to Susan, David and family, and my thanks for sharing him with us."

"Don's integrity as a person and scientist impressed me when I first met him in the 1970s and continued to inspire me to try to be more like him over the next 35 years. There's no one like Don Backer."

"You left us before your time. The world will miss what you would have accomplished, your colleagues will miss your wise counsel and leadership, and I will miss your friendship."

"I will always remember and be grateful to Prof. Backer for the way he treated his administrative staff with kindness and dignity.  I am sorry to hear of his sudden passing."

"It is with enormous sadness that the astronomy world must accept we have lost one of our great scientists. Don was a excellent astronomer and a wonderful human being, always showing warmth, consideration and enthusiasm to all of us who knew him. I learned so much from him. He had a great sense of life and fun. What a loss. However, his legacy will remain. My deepest sympathy to all his family."

"Don was always generous with his time, answering naive questions when I joined the group and later to vetting my ideas for experiments. He was a mentor, a trustworthy advisor, and friend."

"I knew Don from the first MSc course we set up at Jodrell and delighted in his and Susan's friendship back in the "old" days.  This is very sad and my sympathies are with Susan and the family."

"Don, you were a wonderful person. Straight, honest and always with the right perspective. Your passing so early saddens me. A great friend and scientist gone."

"It was always a pleasure to see Don.  He had wonderful insights on science and how to get things done, and he never failed to offer hearty encouragement.  I will miss his good spirits."

"Don was a humble man, and a wonderful scientist, collaborator and friend. I miss the work we will not get to do, and the conversations we will never have. My condolences to his family and loved ones"

"Don's figure looms large as a scientist, a technical person, and an exceptional human being. I am proud to have work alongside him a the RAL. I will forever miss his insight and humility."

"I just spoke with Bernie Fanaroff in South Africa, and he asked me to pass along his condolences, and those of all the SKA and PAPER team members, to Susan and David. Don had many friends in SA."

"Don will be greatly missed - for his science, his vision and efforts on behalf of future instruments, and for his warm, engaging personal style. Condolences to his family and colleagues."

"Shocking and sad news.  Don was an outstanding scientist and wonderful person.  He will be sorely missed.  Condolences to his family."

"I was a grad student at Don's 1987 Galactic center meeting, where his warmth and support turned an otherwise intimidating experience into a fun and memorable one instead. Don remained an inspiration throughout my career, and I will sincerely miss him."

"Don was an outstanding scientist.  Just as important, he was the kindest, most generous, and supportive person that I have known.  I'll miss him for that.  We all will.
Jack"

"From our time in the 80's at Arecibo, up through his current statesman-like roles, I always admired Don's irreplaceable unusual combination of intelligence, humility and integrity.  A lesson to us all"

"I admired Don as a brilliant scientist, but even more for his understanding, openness, gentleness, and lack of pretension. He was a wonderful mentor and friend to so many and he will be dearly missed."

"As an undergraduate astronomy major at Berkeley Don became my de-facto advisor.  He introduced me to radio astronomy, which set me on a path that I continue to follow today.  He will be greatly missed."

"This was quite a shock.  Don has been a good friend for many years, and will be missed in so many ways.  Sincere condolences to all his family."

"This cams as a very great shock. Don exuded a great combination of cleverness and approachability. He was a wonderful friend and an inspiration. Please convey my sympathy to Susan and to Don's family."

"Don was a great human being.  He was generous of his time, even though the demand for his time was so high.  He had a talent as a peace maker when things got contentious.  Such a loss!"

"Without him knowing it, Don was one of my mentors from well before I actually met him - the scientist-engineer. I will always remember the bottle of red wine we shared in the Karoo."

"Don's death is a shocking loss to the pulsar community.  His engineering skill, scientific ability, energy,  enthusiasm, leadership, goodwill, and friendship will be greatly missed."

"In his quiet and unassuming way, Don was a special advisor for me who made me comfortable in my work with him. He always gave his full attention and respected others’ opinions. He'll be missed."

"The gaping hole left by Don's passing is difficult to comprehend.  He was such a fine and gentle man, yet a giant in his field.  I will sorely miss Don, and send my warmest condolences to his family."

"We all are deeply saddened by the passing of Don.  His Air Force admirers send the family their very best"

"I remember with great pleasure working with Don on VLBI at millimeter wavelengths. Don was a wonderful guy as well as a great astronomer and engineer and will be remembered by all."

"In his quiet and thoughtful way, Don always brought the humanity factor to decision-making.   I think he was unique in that regard..."

"I am deeply shocked, having known Don for over thirty years, since we first worked on VLBI together.  It was always enjoyable working with Don. A great loss, both scientifically and personally."

"I met Don when I came to Charlottesville in 1971.  Through the years we had many a pleasant conversation about Life, The Universe, & Everything.  I will miss him.  Condolences to
his family."

"My deepest sympathies to Susan and family, and to Don's colleagues at Berkeley and around the world.  His life touched us all; he enriched us all."

"I am deeply shocked and saddened by this great loss. It is impossible to capture the impact and impression he left on people with his abilities, warmth and understanding with a few words. We miss him."

"With Don, an immediate connection. Full, quiet attention in that look. Many sensed it. Openness, warmth, humility, directness, truth and of course, the energy. Happy in the trenches! Travel well, Don"

"Don was one of the great members of a great department, and he represented Berkeley as one of its finest diplomats, in addition to being a great scientist. He will be impossible to replace."

"I was scheduled to meet with Don at NRAO today (July 29) to discuss RSSP. Now, I will miss him, a good friend, a gentleman and a great scientist! My deepest condolences to Susan and David and family."

"Joeri van Leeuwen wrote a memorial for Don that has been posted with the ASTRON picture of the day:  

http://www.astron.nl/dailyimage/index.html?main.php?date=20100729"

"I was deeply saddened to hear of Don's death.  I have known him since the 1980's; he was a great scientist, a man of great integrity, and a genuinely nice and humble guy."

"I wrote down some thoughts at http://sciencestoriesetc.blogspot.com/2010/07/don-backer.html"

"We are collecting photos of Don.  Please send them to Barb Hoversten at bhovers@astro.berkeley.edu"

"Nature has published a short obituary for Don Backer:

http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2010/07/don_backer_astronomer_and_disc_1.html"