Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2023-09-16/Obituary
Nosebagbear
Nosebagbear was a British Wikimedian and administrator. He registered in 2012, and after a few years of dormancy, began editing in 2018. Successfully acquiring adminship the next year, he began using the tools extensively, helping out where he could in areas that ranged from Articles for Creation to sockpuppet investigations. In recent years, his focus shifted to working behind the scenes to collaborate with the Wikimedia Foundation and other volunteers across the movement on governance initiatives, including the Universal Code of Conduct and Movement Charter. Through this work, he always remained grounded as a proud member of the online communities, especially English Wikipedia; bringing a persistent but pragmatic accountability to the broader Wikimedia landscape, that will make his loss all the more felt. At the time of his passing, he was serving as an elected community member on the Movement Charter Drafting Committee, helping to create new structures and policy to help lead Wikimedia into the next decade.
I want to note just how remarkable Richard was. He was in many ways a quintessential Wikipedian, in that he was passionate about our mission, held strong feelings on topics that would make many (including many other Wikipedians) shake their heads at the idea that someone could care so much about such a topic, worked hard to improve things for others both inside of Wikipedia and for the world at large, always be willing to consider alternative points of view and be ready to change his mind on something, and be so, so, so very kind. His presence on the MCDC, which he achieved through truly hard work and just bothering to show up to a lot of meetings in the 12-18 months prior to the election where others got to know just how special he was, was a big reason that I was optimistic about what it would do in reshaping Wikipedia. I'm going to miss all that but I am going to miss our talks more. His humor more. And most of all his kindness more. While I am so sad at the future that doesn't have him, I am also so grateful for the time we spent together.
— Barkeep49
Many messages of condolences have been left on his user talk page, as well as information about memorial services. Donations in his name are being solicited for the Epilepsy Society, of whom he was a supporter.
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