Sid Bacon

Sid contributed so much to me and my family during the almost 6 years I spent in his lab as a PhD student. Sid conferred to me the sacred nature of rigorous scientific conduct and helped groomed me to be the scientist that I am still trying to become. Plus he was paramount in helping me develop some of the thickest skin around (which let's face it, comes in handy in this field!)  Plus, what a lot of people may not know, he provided me with insightful counsel which ultimately led me to reach out to my biological father with whom I was reunited in 2003 just 3 months before his death from lymphoma.  For that, I am tremendously grateful!

– René Gifford

Sid Bacon left us on the Feast of St. Benedict, one the saints of a happy death.  At ICRP we  were very sadden to hear that Sid had entered eternal life.  There was such a triangulation of grief after reading the e-mail.  Kathie Smith left her office, Dawn Greer left her office, and I left mine and  we met in front of Kathie’s office door; we hugged and we cried.  Then, at 1:00 we met Cissy Longmore at Z tejas House .  I ordered a glass of wine and anyone who knows me, knows that I don’t drink because it doesn’t agree with me. But I thought the occasion warranted a “Toast to Sid.” We toasted a life well lived.  We toasted a wonderful husband, father, friend, and scholar.  He is a part of the fabric of what we call the Department of Speech and Hearing Science and he will leave a void in our hearts.  May this void be filled with his love as we continue on our journey toward celebrating with him again. Here’s to you Sid!

I don’t even know where to start. In the almost 25 years that I’ve been here at ASU, Sid has been a part of so many memories. Firstly, as one of my favorite PIs. I always enjoyed hearing from and meeting with Sid, as we would talk about his upcoming proposals, work on budgets, talk about progress, review annual reports. Sid was always smart, timely and extremely responsive. Of course, his dry sense of humor didn’t hurt either! We spent many a meeting laughing over one thing or another. My most recent memories of Sid revolve around my current role as the Research Advancement Supervisor of the Research Advancement Office at CLAS. I was thrilled to discover that Sid would be my boss, in his role as Divisional Dean of Natural Sciences, and he shared with me his pleasure that I was selected to lead this team at CLAS. He recounted many times to me that my phone number was the only one on campus that he ever knew by heart. I always appreciated Sid’s transparency, the way he respected and asked for my opinions, the autonomy he gave me and the trust he placed in me and in my abilities. He was a joy to work with and for. And lastly, Bruce and I always enjoyed the occasions when the 4 of us got together “in the hood” for beer and pizza, or when we would be out for a walk in the neighborhood and chanced upon Sid watering the front yard of your beautiful home. I keep my Team Bacon sign up in my office and look at it every day. Sid’s warmth, humor, and presence will be sorely missed. All our love to you and the family and may you get some comfort from the knowledge of how many lives Sid touched and how our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this very difficult time.

– Vicki Krell

Sid was enormously popular all through grade school, junior high, high school and college because he could do so many things so well without ever being conceited. However, in 7^th grade we discovered the one thing Sid couldn’t do. He tried out for singer in our little rock band – probably still the worst such band in the world – and we discovered that he couldn’t sing. In fact, he spectacularly couldn’t sing (in those days, at least). But he took the rejection in good spirits and still came to some of our practices, which probably does prove a total lack of musical appreciation at that point in his life. To paraphrase the old song, if there’s a rock-and-roll heaven, I don’t think Sid will be singing for the band – but he’ll be a star at everything else.

– Chuck Marsh

Here is to a man that, even though I never met in person, has had a major impact on my life.  Thank you Sid, for being you!