I read today on the ATCA Facebook group that George Amores "Phonium" has passed away.
Forum member phonium is/was 14 years old by his own admission.
He was logged in about 5 PM on 2/23/22.
His forum signature matches your ATCA reference.
I don't have access to the ATCA site.
Can't find an obituary. Died young? Or wrong age?
Member passing....
Quote from: Russ Kirk on February 25, 2022, 12:04:51 AM
Member passing....
Thanks, Russ. Another sad story, one that seems to be occurring in greater numbers over the past year with our youth. Senseless, and very sad to learn about his troubles.
Very sad news indeed. :'(
Horrible news. So young.
George was always getting unbelievable finds, He worked hard at his collecting.
George will be missed...Doug
~
That saddens me greatly...
Wish he had logged in the forum instead. Tragic.
That's sad. My condolences.
Mike
This is tragic, so sad, I am shocked speechless.
I thought the 14 thing was a joke.
My condolences
:-[
To help understand this, the following was posted on the TCI list server by Gary Goff. It was a very nice tribute posted here for posterity:
"The death of George is tragic and is happening more and more in the junior high aged group. It is not a secret that George was Autistic, but very few knew he was, and this condition and other school related factors likely pushed him over the edge.
I may be the last collector to whom he spoke. We talked on a fairly regular basis, at least enough for my wife to inquire of me as to what do and 85 year old and a 14 year old have to talk about. I often reply tht I mostly listened sometimes or offed an explanation or information about his latest interest.
George called me last Monday or Tuesday to tell me about his latest find. He had visited what he dalled a local junk store and found a cache of telephone stuff including three #2 dials in very good condition. One of the had a D marking and an unusual number plate and wanted to know more about them. The cache also included a couple of W.E. metal wall sets and some phone parts. He bought them for cheap!
George was one of the most knowledgeable collectors I know about so many things, and I think he and we have Ron Christensen for that. I don't know how or when he met Ron, but he spoke highly of their relationship.
I met George about a year ago, and then in person at our San Jose show. His day brought him to the show from Oregon where then live, and I konw that his mother took him to the Shipshewana show last year as well. He met a lot of collectors at the latter and many more in San Jose last November. He was also invited to visit the JKL Museum at that time and he really went crazy there. The museum gave him several books that were museum duplicates, and he bought a couple of items.
George would almost always call me in the middle of the day and I would ask him about school. I soon learned that was a sore subject and that he didn't want to discuss it. I assumed that there might have been a bullying issue, but I've since learned that Autism was most like;ly the real demon.
I will miss George's calls and our relationship. I wish that I had known more about him, sooner, and had the opportunity to perhaps have prevented this tragedy.
Gary"
:(
I am very saddened to hear about George. As others have stated, it is all too common at that age.
So sad. Rest in peace.
God that's sad
Sad to read this . I know he was near me here in Oregon . I think we corresponded once or twice.