April 19, 2006

Nairn Ringueberg

One of the great 'fringe benefits' that grew out of my solar activities in the late 1970s and early 1980s was the number and variety of people that I met. Among the most interesting was Nairn Ringueberg. He came to some of the early solar meetings and, along with Roy Craig, and several others, he became one of my most valued Durango friends.

Over the years that I knew Nairn, I came to appreciate some of the breadth and depth of his intellect and his character. I knew that he was born in Canada (July 25, 1915), that he worked for Bell Helicopters in the 'pioneering days' of helicopter development and beyond, and that he was widowed. I met his three sons and his daughter. His wife, Mona, died before Nairn moved to Durango.

Much later, I learned that he held patents from his years of working for the Bell Company. Because I saw him frequently, I was aware that he was an accomplished engineer and that he was a glider pilot. He was awarded the Soaring Society of America's Silver Badge Award in 1963. He took me on my first and only glider ride. He built a glider in his back yard and on his back porch, incorporating cutting-edge design parameters and materials.

He invented two versions of Sterling "heat engines" over a period of years. He also perfected a technique for bending copper tubing so that loops of it could be attached to both solar collectors and to solar radiator panels. One of his three sons, Bill, engaged in a solar business for a time and installed a number of systems using his father's techniques.

Nairn designed and built a backyard solar collector system and connected it into his house. He offered free solar consulting services to many of the local people who were engaged in various 'levels' of 'do-it-yourself' solar systems and homes. His participation in the San Juan Solar Energy Society meetings, workshops and other activities was one reason for that organization's success. He was an early and accomplished computer person. When he needed a computer program for a project he was working on, he sat down and learned the necessary programming skills. He then wrote and applied the program.

He was a worthy chess opponent. Like me, his chess game was not always consistent, but he was a 'chess natural' in many ways.

One measure of a man is his dedication to his family. My long-time impression was that Nairn was a dedicated husband and father. I have had the pleasure of knowing Nairn three sons, Walt, Bill and Eric, and his daughter, Lucia, for almost all of the years that I have known Nairn, and beyond, since his death on December 19, 1999. It was a privilege for me to be present at Eric and Lucia's weddings.

Another measure of a man is the quality of that person's friends, Nairn - once again - stands out as an exceptional person. Among his friends was Roy Craig who was the chief field investigator for the official UFO investigation in the United States. Another was Oleg Stavrovsky a noted artist. A third was Gleb Derujinsky, a multifaceted man: noted photographer, jewelry designer and maker, and award winning soaring enthusiast.

My memories of Nairn are many and pleasant. One unpleasant one stands out: He and I used to go to downtown Durango for Halloween. At that time, Durango was noted 'around the country' for the size and complexity of its Halloween celebration. We were milling about on Main Avenue during one such celebration when a man threw a small piece of dynamite from the roof of a downtown building into the street. Nairn wasn't injured and neither was I by the explosion, but we were far too close to one person who was injured by the blast. The City of Durango scaled back the Halloween activities following that incident.

Nairn was an avid reader. He introduced me to a number of works that I still value. He also had eclectic tastes in music. Again, he introduced me to some artists whose work I collected and enjoyed.

He was an accomplished chef. My understanding is that he learned to cook for his children after Mona died. He was a gracious host and I treasure some of my memories of eating at his table.

It is a matter of controversy as to whether - or how much - Nairn slept. Clearly, he did not need much sleep. Perhaps the time that he 'saved' by not sleeping partly accounts for the number and the variety of his accomplishments. But, so does the fact that he had a 'first-rate' intellect and great intellectual curiosity.