Russell Tomes

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Russell Tomes, a NZ Skeptics committee member died last week. Russell unfortunately had an undiagnosed heart condition and died of a heart attack.

Russell came to prominence in the media, both nationally and internationally by being a Pastafarian - a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM). Russell wore his religious headgear (a blue colander) for his driver's licence photograph - pictures of which were splashed around the world!

Russell was interviewed by Campbell Live on TV3 - we've put the clip up on our YouTube channel.

The Church went on to be able to perform marriages.

Russell was involved with NZ Skeptics for many years, and had worked on various skeptical activism projects - including showing up in person at a Jeanette Wilson event (the claimed psychic surgeon), and participating in various online activities with Susan Gerbic. He was also a member of Susan's GSoW project, writing Wikipedia articles.

Russell was a great human being, with a warm heart and keen sense of knowing what was right and wrong with the world. He also had a fantastic sense of humour - and loved to wear costumes - if you've been to a recent NZ Skeptics Conference, you'd have encountered Russell in costume. I fondly remember many committee meetings (which we hold via internet video chat) where he'd appear with some ridiculous mask - such as Pennywise the Clown, from Stephen King's IT.

While there won't be a funeral, Russell's mother is organising a remembrance event in Christchurch in a few weeks for those who were close to him. If you'd like to be involved, please get in touch.

The world, and certainly the skeptics movement, is a lesser place without Russell in it. RIP Russell - you'll be greatly missed.