I just found out that noted dragonfly expert Bill Prather passed away last October. He was both an inspiration and a source of gentle correction when I was first learning to ID. I wish that I had gotten to meet him, since the reports of people who had worked with him talked about his knowledge and passion.
Requiescat in pace sir, and thank you for your continuing influence.
I also never met him but he helped me ID a number of odonates from photos and specimens in the Colorado State University collection that were of interest to me from my state. I recall he lived in the Denver-Fort Collins area. Very sad to lose people we have worked with over the years, along with their vast knowledge. RIP.
Longmont, specifically; so a little over an hour up the road from me.