Randy Pausch, RIP

Carnegie Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch achieved notoriety with his riveting "last lecture" last September.  Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and gave this lecture to honor his students and others at Carnegie Mellon, imparting life lessons and advice to his audience.  Jeff Zaslow of the Wall Street Journal covered the lecture and helped Pausch expand the lecture into the book "The Last Lecture."

Sadly, Dr. Pausch died Friday at age 47.  Valerie Nelson has a wonderful obituary in the Los Angeles Times and opens the piece:

Randolph Frederick Pausch was born Oct. 23, 1960, in Baltimore and said he won the "parent lottery" with Fred and Virginia Pausch. His father sold insurance and his mother taught English. As a teenager growing up in Columbia, Md., he was allowed to paint whatever he wanted on his bedroom walls. His artistry included a quadratic equation, elevator doors and the rocket ship that adorns the cover of his book.

Randy Pausch, Ph.D, father, teacher, mentor.  Rest in peace.