From Randy in Eugene, OR:
Just posted this on the Yahoo News Message board:
I am very sorry to read that Roger is ill. I was just checking email when I ran across the story.
I have watched and enjoyed his movie reviews literally for decades. While not always agreeing with him, I respected the expertise and passion with which he defended his opinions.
I’m formerly from the Midwest and actually attended the University of Illinois (Urbana) while he was there. I just checked his Wikipedia bio and discovered he was BORN in Urbana! (Who knew?)
He was a graduating senior at that time and had already made a name for himself on campus working at the Daily Illini. I was a lowly freshman back then and
I believe that in one of those Letterman-style “brushes with greatness” I was once accidentally in the same room with him. I actually saw and recognized him! Later, when he became much more famous, I would think “There’s that guy I went to college with!” (more or less).
“Will you still need me, will you still feed me, When I’m sixty-four?”
Yes, Roger, we do…
