Here is...
A Remembrance of Warren--
I first met Warren around 1964 when we both were part of the Fresno
Folk Music Club. In 1968, while hitch-hiking from Berkeley to San Diego
(to visit my friend, Jerry Houck), I stopped at Warren's place in
Topanga Canyon to see what he was up to. I had just been freed from a
2-year hitch in the navy (where I happened to have had a second job as
a pizza cook). Warren asked me what I was going to do with the rest of
my life. I said I had this idea of starting a pizza parlor. He asked
where; I said I didn't know. He asked how was I going to pay for it; I
said I didn't know.
The next morning Warren drove me out to the freeway to continue my trip
to San Diego. On the way he said he had to stop at a bank. I stayed in
the car. When he returned he handed me a cashier's check for $2500. He
said that might help get me started with the pizza parlor. There was no
talk of repayment, "spend it wisely," etc. Just the check.
I don't ever recall having a more heart-opening experience. That single
act of kindness and generosity changed my outlook on life right then
and there.
Later that year I found myself in Seattle and had just rented a 2-car
garage on Roosevelt Way with plans of making it into a pizza parlor.
During the holidays I went back to Fresno and ran into Warren at the
New Year's party at Sweet's Mill. I told him about the place in Seattle
and invited him to come help build it.
He and Linda Laing showed up in Seattle about 3 weeks later. He came to
the "shop" the next day with a van full of tools and asked "What's your
most pressing job?" I said a new front door needed to be built. He
worked for 5 or 6 days on that door. I couldn't believe how sturdy and
well-built that door was. I remember saying "that door will last longer
than you." And apparently that door is still there.
I appreciated the old-time music that was always around Morningtown
(that was the name of the pizza place). But my personal connection with
Warren was usually through science. He told lots of stories about
Richard Feynman (I believe Warren took some classes from Feynman), and
eventually I got to be a big Feynman fan myself.
Warren had a persona similar to Feynman's. They both delighted in
explaining things and in the process of explaining. And they both liked
to help others. Warren certainly helped me in many ways over the years.
It's wonderful to see so many postings on Facebook from people who knew
him.
--Tom Ninkovich
