I am saddened by the death of John. It is both tragic and unfair that he and his friends lives are lost.

Please convey our family deepest sympathy, thoughts and sadness to John family, colleagues and friends.

During Lyn last year of her life we spoke about the importance to lyn of her deep and enduring relationship with John. The most recent contact and work that John commissioned my sister to represent him was a good example of perfectly fortuitous timing.

Lyn was delighted to be supported by John over the years and her respect of him was profound. This their last venture allowed Lyn to her dying day an opportunity to help her good old friend to gain a successful outcome over the complex and tricky water issues on his ranch. Typically for Lyn at one of her darkest hours John was there for her and through her technical robustness and pragmatism was able to achieve a successful outcome during her last dying months.

Much more than this was Lyn pleasure at John pleasure of their mutual success a gift that deepened the mutual respect over stewardship of water and land and most significantly their relationships.

I know the desperation of loss and please convey our love and respect to those at his funeral and specifically his family. Lyn would be devastated at the death of John were she still alive and the void that this leaves.

Kindest regards

David Benjamin

It is always hard and sorrow to recall the beautiful thing, the best time because it makes comparisons with the current situation and my days on the ranch together with John and Mary is definitely of this type. That was my first trip to the USA. Since I was travelling alone for most of my trip, I never expected much. However, just like Taylor Swift wrote in her song--Staying back and watching me shine And I didn’t know if you knew So I’m taking this chance to say That I had the best day With you today. John and Mary made my trip in the USA one of the most exciting, unforgettable and fabulous experience in my life.
       I had so many first-timers there. I sat beside a pilot for the first time. I became so excited at the first glance of the plane. It is so cute! I kept John busy for taking pictures for me inside and with the plane. After I sat well and fastened my seat belt, I was hilarious to see the Teton Range. The picturesque scenes impressed me combined with the flying experience. John then turned from a photographer to a tour guide. He showed me the functions of different devices on the plane, explained the flying route on the pad for me and when we flew over some mountains and rivers, he would explain carefully for me the name and stories of the object. With him, the one-hour trip became so interesting. When he landed safely on the narrow road in the loom creek, I was impressed for what an adept pilot he was! 
    On the ranch, Mary asked him to teach me fishing. The picture keeps  spiraling in my head--we stood on the lawn, John hold a fish pole and threw it again and again and I followed and practiced again and again with Mary busy taking pictures for us. I was clumsy and stupid on these things but they never got disappointed or frustrated.
     As for motorbike and tractor teaching, it is kind of easier for me. I soon learned it and drove it with John and Mary sitting beside me. Mary is a fun-maker and she suddenly stepped on my feet to accelerate the motorbike while we were on a slope and were making turns. I was scared and felt the motor lost control and quickly turned to the brake. Mary shrugged her shoulder and said you should turn more quickly. I felt sorry and said I cannot drive that fast. Then all of us eased and laughed as if we just survived some catastrophe. It was a dusk and the sun cast its tender sunset glow on their kind faces. What a cozy picture. 
     In addition, I made friends with dogs for the first time. I was bitten by a dog when I was a child and thus became afraid of dogs. However, when I arrived at Diamond-Ranch, the two dogs waved their tails around me and kept sniffing at me and I just shun behind Mary or John. Then one morning I heard some deep mouthed roaring and dogs barking as well. The chaos continued for about half an hour and then the house became tranquil again. Later, John told me it was a bear and bears were frightened by dogs. I cannot believe it since bear is much bigger than dog in both height and shape. “It is true”, said Mary, “that is why people make noises when confronted with a bear”. “They saved your life”, John joked and pointed to the dogs. I felt sorry for the misunderstanding to the dogs and tried to conquer my fear and fondled the dogs for the first time. They seemed to like the fondling and circled me with joy. To some extent, it was John and Mary who helped me with making new friends.

Among all of these first-timers, my debutant—as WE CALL IT—is definitely the most unforgettable experience for all of us. Mary is a great chef and we found it so interesting to cook together. We played music in the house with John murmuring in the hall—you crazy women! I was surprised at what a collection of seasonings Mary had. Then a great idea came to my mind—cook a Chinese buffet for them. We invited people around and started cooking. Potatoes, cabbages, I indulged myself in the heaven of cooking and I even taught Mary to cook potatoes in the Chinese way. When people came, they were surprised at the food and loved the spicy food and the spicy me. It was like my debutant, people flocked in to take pictures with me and said how amazing the food was. Mary and John then retrospect the journey in Beijing and showed them the pictures. They made me a star. At night, we sat side by side on the balcony, facing the dark forest and peaceful lake with dogs crouching at our feet. Mary begged John to start the fire and winked naughtily at me. I caught her intention and begged John to make the fireplace as I have never seen one in China. John succumbed finally to our request. We were so happy and started singing by the fireplace. Then John came out from the house with a pole and chocolate and marshmallow and cookies. Together with Mary, He melted the marshmallow for me with cookies and told me this is the way the American children eating cookies. They kindly tried to make up everything I missed in my childhood for me as if I were their grandchild. Till today, Mary still kept telling me how John loved my visit and how fancy it was to have a Chinese Buffet in the middle of nowhere.

I still remember my departure with them. I left on a morning and John flew me especially from Stanley to Boise airport. Mary hugged me and kissed me in her white long robe. John helped me with the luggage and finally we took off the launch. Through rivers and canyons and mountains, I would not blink my eye so that I would not miss a sight. I looked out greedily, trying to grasp every scent of Stanley and Boise. Then John showed me the tower and I know we were approaching the airport. John asked a guy to send me to the departure hall for San Francisco and tipped the guy for me—kindly and generously.

I never expect this departure with John would be the last for us. When I read Mary’s words—“I wish you would be here for the funeral….my best part died with him”—my heart broke and all emotions suddenly cracked down like torrents. I wish I could be there, dear Mary, but certainly disagree that your best part are gone with John because John, a soul with generosity, love, careness and dedication would never die. He is just tired and is looking for some place new silently, in the way he found Driggs and the Loom Creek. He is stubborn and would never come to us until he find the Promised Land, the never land, the Eden’s garden for us, whenever I raise my head I can see his vivid face in the sky. He is watching us quietly, giving strength to the people he love to live on for a better future. Take a look, Mary, and see the winking eyes up there?