A patron of the arts and a damned fine man is gone.

Max Besler, one of the men who is responsible for me being the man I am today, died last night in his home.

Trite as it is to say, he died as he lived -- surrounded by those who loved him.

Max will be missed by my family as much as by his own.

Details of this extraordinary man's life can be found here, at Sacbee.com.

One of the quotes in that article is dead on ... Max was the most elegantly profane man that ever lived.

I'll probably write a better tribute when I'm done grieving.