Club Obi Wan

I just don't know how else to post this, as I'm in shock at the moment, so I'll post it verbatim:

Hi,
I know Walt was a big fan of this site and has a lot of friends that frequent this site as well. I was wondering if you could post something on the bulletin board.

Walt passed away last night here in San Diego. I don’t have any specifics on services yet, but folks can contact me and I will update them when I have more information. He was a huge fan of Indiana Jones, he was famous for his fedora’s and whips. He had a passion for detail which served him well all these years.

Thank you,

Dave Finlay

Dave Finlay, Customer Engineering & Program Management
Network Components Group
LSI Corporation
+ Email: dave.finlay@lsi.com

Michaelson

Wow! He will be missed.

He will be very missed.

I'm in shock from this. I'll miss you my friend....

While we're all still trying to come to terms with this, let me just say...

For anyone who has never met Walt, he was an extraordinary man.

His motto was "Celebrating Life." A motto he never failed to live up to.

I've met him at numerous QM summits, and a few other personal gatherings.
He was generous, fun loving and had a dry sense of humor that never failed.

He was a cornerstone of Indygear in the early days and has done as much for our knowledge of whips as anyone.

He is a friend that I will truly miss.

Dalexs

I've had the privilege of talking and e-mailing with Sergei numerous times and he was indeed a true one of a kind. His contributions to this hobby were vast. I'm beyond stunned...

Walt

I only had the pleasure of meeting you once at the QM, but you showed great generosity to all you met and you had a warm heart. I didn't get to know you as well as I would have liked but I will take your words to heart and I will 'celebrate life'.

Ken

I didn't know Walt so I'm not sure what to say. I know he did contribute to the whip knowledge of Indy a lot and it shows as often as I talk with other Indy whip enthusiasts.

I will say however, I am glad that somebody let us know.

He will not be forgotten!

This is a truly sad day for our community.

I'm heartbroken, honestly.

Moved to tears, too.

This amazing man .... I feel so blessed to have known him for the short duration that I did.

He was the one whom came to me and handed me the reins to the QM. He encouraged me, supported me, gave me the best feedback you could hope for, guided me through hoops that were ever so necessary.

I'm seriously shocked, crushed, and deeply saddened. Thank you, bink, for posting that photo above of Rundquist, me and Walt. I was shocked (and thrilled) he actually made it to the QM for the Templars dinner. At least I saw him then.

Thank you, Walt, for your touching my life as you did, when I needed it the most, for encouraging me as you did. I find it utterly ironic that I have been thinking non-stop of you the last few days. Now I know why.

Namaste & Shanti,
Y.

Walt was a great man who was very open with his knowledge. I had the pleasure of discussing whips with him years ago when I was debating my first David Morgan. Since then, he and I chatted occassionally, but my fondest memories are of hanging out with him in the Observation Bar at the Queen Mary summits (I'll be posting a pic from my last visit with Walt when I get home).

Walt, you will be missed.

From years past... the leader of "The Flying Indy's.

I still remember the very first time I met him in person. It was at FlightSuits in San Diego in 2003. We roadtripped it out that year for the QM and stopped in San Diego the Thursday before the QM to meet up with Walt, Lee Keppler, Dan and Josh, and Dave Marshall at Flightsuits to get a tour and I got fitted for my Expo. He pulls up in a Jaguar with a trunk full of whips. I'll never forget that! Then that weekend at the QM was amazing. Pyroxene had videotapped a LOT of that Summit that weekend and I'll be watching it tonight at the house.

Here's to you Walt! You'll never be forgotten my friend! Your motto of Celebratin' Life will live on in these boards as well as in my own life. Godspeed.


Photo out back at Flightsuits (May 2003)

I don't know what to say honestly...

Walt's encouragement when I first arrived here gave me the confidence at the age of 11 to build my own bullwhip, which in turn funded my film making, and without his nagging and pages and pages of advice to me there's no way I would have made that, or be as much as an artist as I am today. I feel like I've been hit in the chest with a hammer.

I will never forget what you've done for me Walt.
-Adam Ouellette

profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3

http://www.indygear.com/staff/igstaff-sergei.html

Man...I don't know what to say. I haven't spoken to him in some time but I'm still just as shocked as if I'd spoken to him yesterday. Serg has been around here since the very beginning. All I can think when he comes to mind is that he was an incredibly nice, giving individual who was integral to our community. He's one of the people who's integrity and passion for our hobby made this site what it is. I never had the pleasure of meeting him as many of you have but I always felt that if I did he would have been as warm and genuine as he was in all of our coorespondences. He always took the time to get back to me with all of my questions and concerns and always spoke the truth as he saw it.

Everybody who has the time should read over this page today.
http://www.indygear.com/igRotLAbullwhip.html
This is the Walt I'll always remember.

This is rather bewildering. I never met him personally but I've always considered the person as one of the pillars of COW, seeing him in many event pictures and so on. Not being a great whip expert or appreciator it was seldom that we exchanged words, only a couple of PMs years ago... but I'm very very sorry to hear about this. Sad news indeed.
Thanks Michaelson for letting us all know.

Wow, it was not that long ago where we were comparing hiking photos! Walt was always a gentleman at times that would be trying to others. He seemed really down to earth. I regret that I never met him in person.

I'm stunned. I have such a pit in my stomach right now. I'll post some photos and thoughts a little later.

i did not know him.....but knew of him. i knew enough to know that this is a huge loss to the community. my condolences to friends and family.


gil

SeaGal79 wrote:Todd asked that I order him a Bombay Sapphire martini with two olives. He said that was Walt's drink.

It certainly was, and VERY appropriate. Thank you.

Regards! Michaelson

I was glad to have had several chances to talk with him, and he was always, always a gentleman. He regularly showed up at the QM with a big bag of whips, was ready to teach and help and learn all at the same time.

And he didn't limit it to whips, he was a kind man who gave me advice, which was remarkable consider what an annoying cuss I was (leave that alone today) when I first joined here. He gave me the benefit of the doubt when he met me in person, and I truly respected the man, and always enjoyed catching up with him.

I saw him this last time just in November at the QM, and he remarked on how the group has evolved, and how great it was to finally see Templars complete. And he brought class to the room in his tux and tails, and reminded me that at the earlier QMs there were many, many tuxes in the room...and he was our old guard, bringing history to us.

I will miss him, and moreso at every QM.

Thanks for all the advice and help, Walt. Celebrate life. EDIT: I promise: Celebrate Life.
J

I never met him personally, but he was a huge help when the site was turned over to me to run. I'm just stunned.

Celebrate life, my friend, celebrate life.

Yes, celebrate life.

Rest In Peace, Walt
Highest Respects and Regards,
Joe Williams

I actually saw Sergei before I ever knew who he was. It was at the 2000 Wild West Arts Club International Convention, in Las Vegas. All of the whip people were cracking away in the roped-off section reserved for us, and I spotted him across the room. I think he was wearing a fedora. I might have spoken a few words with him, but it's pretty vague now. He seemed like a nice guy, and it wasn't until I saw the first QM pics that I recognized him from the convention. Walt was, indeed, a cornerstone of the IndyGear community, and he will be missed.

Sergei, you will be missed. I never had the pleasure of meeting him but his reputation was extraordinary. It is truly a sad day, especially in the Indy-Community.


Ken "Indiana" Neri, Jr.

Wow, this is just unbelievable! I never met him, but knew that he was the "go-to-guy" when it came to bullwhips.
Sad day in Indy fandom.
Mike

He was a friend to many and an enemy of none.

Man...this really bums me out. I know many of you have been good friends with Walt for years and his passing is on a much more personal level, but this really bums me out. He was just such a nice guy and will be greatly missed.

Walt Rybinski was my favorite person that I met through this board and one of my favorite people in general. We had lots of fun together going to salsa shows, eating Cuban food, smoking cigars, going to movies, and whip cracking. Terrible news.

It sounds as if this was rather sudden. Is it appropriate to ask how he passed? Is his family ok? Do they need any help with anything from members?

If the family passes on any additional information or requests as such, we will pass it along. You know what we know, so it's probably best to be respectful and not push the matter.

Agreed.

We will miss you, old friend. I'll see you on the other side.

...wow. I'm completely... speechless. I've met Walt before and have been shocked in the past when he's complimented me on numerous things, like whipwork and even just my growing up... he was an amazing guy, and even though I only spoke briefly with him, it was obvious to me that he was a genuinely nice person....

Go with God, Walt. We'll miss you here.



Shane

I never met Walt, and I think I may have had only a brief exchange or two with him in my time here. In all his posts he was very kind and curterous and always very helpful. I have a feeling he and I woudl have gotten on splendidly. His contributions to Indy Gear are many and he will be greatly missed. I will keep his family in my prayers.

Dave

I happened by chance to catch a thread by Walt one day while I was online looking for bullwhip information. His thread turned me on to this site as a matter of fact; I read a bunch of his and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but he always was so polite and charitable with his expansive knowledge. He will be sorely missed.

Allen

Walt was the second gear head I met in person. He became a father to me when I was 15 at a time when I really needed it.

"Life goes on, Indy. There is the proof." - Sallah

Man..... first Noel Howard, and then Walt?

Walt was at my first QM and was one of the first gearheads I met in person, too. He made me feel welcome, and like I was part of the group. His encouragement, though he may not have known it, helped me get more involved here, and at the QM that year, too.

Shane

Gospod blogoslovite tibia, Walt.

My sincere condolences to Walt's family and many friends.

Harry

I'm still in shock. It's a sad day for those of us that new Walt as a friend. But also for this crazy hobby of ours that he truly loved.

I first met Walt Rybinski in November of 2001. I don't exactly recall how we first made contact but I remember he was traveling to the Seattle area on business and we met up at David Morgan's shop in Bothell. Paul Stenhouse was there as well and we all had this photo taken. (L-R: Walt, Paul, Me & David.)



Walt had just purchased a brand new DM whip which he is holding in that pic. After our visit with David we went down the street to a park and did some whip cracking.

A few months later Walt returned to the Seattle area and brought with him copies of the above photo which all four of us signed and exchanged. I framed it and hung it in my studio and it hangs on my wall to this day, even as I type this.

On that same visit we did more whip cracking, of course. Walt had just purchased two matching five foot bullwhips from Paul Stenhouse. Afterward, we went to dinner at the Olive Garden Kirkland. I'll always cherish the memory of Walt excitedly passing his new purchases around to Paul and I in the restaurant while confused patrons gawked.

Walt wasn't into whips just because of Indiana Jones. He genuinely loved everything about the hobby and sport. From their history to construction to the art of cracking. He had a huge collection of bullwhips and stock whips by Morgan, Stenhouse, Murphy, Frasier, Jacka, Wojicicki, et al. He was a true whip junky. And I loved him for it.

In fact, it was Walt that purchased the very first Pocket Bull I ever sold. I made a mini-bullwhip as a fun experiment in my early whip making days and sent pix of it to Walt. I was unsure of my skill but he insisted on buying one and convinced me to make it. I've sold a lot of those silly things and I have Walt to thank for it.


(L-R: Walt, Paul, Adam, Baphy.)

For those who don't remember, it was Walt Rybinski who first documented an actual Raiders of the Lost Ark David Morgan bullwhip. He learned that Mark Allen owned one at the time and arranged to inspect it and take detailed measurements of this historical bullwhip. This answered many questions that had caused so much debate and speculation. I definitely recommend reading his story about it.

In August of 2002 I drove down to San Diego to visit my sister and while there met up with Walt for, you guessed it, some whip cracking. We talked forever about Indygear, work, family, mutual friends, etc. All while popping targets off my stand. Then he, Dan (Riser) and I drove up to Longbeach for an impromptu dinner onboard the Queen Mary with several COW members. I look back on that day very fondly.

I never saw Walt again in person after that day over six years ago. We corresponded often via email though and I spoke to him over the phone several times. He was a good man and true gentleman. My life is that much richer for knowing him. I would have liked to enjoy a cigar with him though.

I'm definitely not a writer and so even after all these words I still haven't come close to expressing how deep his passing has affected me. It hurts. I will miss him.

Goodbye, Sergei.

—Kyle

It was a pleasure to have met you Walt.

My condolances to Walt's family. While I never had the pleasure to meet him, he was one of the first people I conversed with here at COW. He sounded lile a stand up guy, the kind your proud to say "he's my friend".

Rest in peace, Walt. We'll miss ya.

Croft

As sad as this is, I do find comfort in reading the responses in this thread. I sent my thanks to the person who shared the news with us. While it isn't something we would've wanted to hear, it was touching that he would consider sharing it with an "online fan site." The responses in this thread show that Walt was a friend to many and that our "community" is more than just strangers connected by an ethernet cable.

While I still grieve for Walt, there is a comfort in knowing he's touched so many. And I'm grateful to have known him…even if it was only through phone calls and an ethernet cable.

I never knew him, but he is one of the contributors here who's posts I always looked forward to reading. Definitely a legend in this community.

My condolences to his family and friends.

I cannot post much more than has already been said, and posted by better folks and closer friends than I was.

When Walt was active here, he and I dealt almost daily regarding daily IG 'business', and corresponded often.

Though I had no consuming interest in the whip (I know how to use one, and though I haven't practiced for a long time due to a bad shoulder, I got fairly accurate with them), he and I both talked the language of cigars. I quit in 1980 when our first daughter was born, but have been known to light up one every year or so. Walt loved them, and supplied almost all of the smokes at any gathering he attended (and those weren't cheap smokes either, people! )

What I did for Walt was find him pocket cigar cases when my wife and I did our antique rambles. Apparently he could not find good antique examples on the West Coast or in his travels, as the cigar restaurants had taken off in popularity, and those items, when available, went through the roof due to demand. Here on the back roads of Tennessee, they are only looked upon as being 'quaint reminders' of the past, as we have very few cigar smokers in my area.

So, everytime I'd send Walt a new discovery, he was like a kid on Christmas morning. It was a way we could share our love of the cigar without actually standing next to each other and enjoying a smoke together.

I distinctly remember the last one I sent him came from a small antique store in Knoxville. It was a large aluminium 3 cigar holder that would hold his large Cuban cigars that he was so fond of. (you can see him smoking one in the photos above)

Anyway, that's all I can share that would be different than what has already been said, or will be said before it's all done.

He was everything that you've read, and then some.

Bink recently described him as 'a man of many layers'. Well spoke, Bink.

Though we didn't correspond again again after his brief appearance here last Spring or so, he will leave a huge hole in our community, and in my collective family in this hobby.

HIGHEST regards! Michaelson

I never met Walt, but I was fortunate enough to trade emails with him. I will remember him as a thoughtful and gracious man who was generous with both his time and his abundant knowledge.

Bushman

Wow. I just saw him at the QM and ... wow. He gave me my first whip lesson back in 2005. He was a charter member of the Fedora Lounge and always held court at the Observation bar of the QM with a cigar and a drink and a tale of the flying Indys whenever a passerby asked who we were and why we were dressed up. Ugh... I liked him. He was fun to be around. He's missed.

Michaelson & Marosy,

Seeing these testimonials and wonderful photos are indeed gratifying.

Stitch count, buckles, and the minutia all have no weight whatsoever compared to the friendship that Walt extended to so many of us, and likewise to his contributions in this community.

Kyle, I especially enjoyed your post, thank you. I remember seeing you cracking the whip at the QM in 2006 (where I cracked for the first time). I was astonished at what a precise cracker you were. To know your connection and the fond memories means a lot.

I remember Walt sharing that another avid interest of his was indeed the wild west shows. He was very involved in that arena. I believe he was very skilled in numerous capacities for that hobby.

I have been informed that the "21 Whip Salute" was really a Walt thing. He deserves that for sure.

Dejah

dejahthoris wrote:I have been informed that the "21 Whip Salute" was really a Walt thing. He deserves that for sure.

I think that's an excellent idea, actually... maybe we could arrange one sometime?

Shane