A few months ago the mountains lost a good friend and so did I. I was somewhere out of town and missed the news that Bernard Elias had died at the age of 91 until today when the barber we share informed me of the sad news. His physical size and his obituaries were understated, but the man's life and legacy were huge.
He came into my office many times while I was working on The Mystery of George Masa with ideas, photographs, maps and stories from his life, including one about how Masa took his photo when he was a boy standing in front of his Biltmore Forest home. His visits to my office were always jovial and (despite ending my productivity for an hour or more) inspiring.
He was a link to the past that I was trying to illuminate. He was a veteran in the Navy and in photographic excellence. He was above all a gentleman.
Happy trails Bernard. I hope you and Masa and countless other friends are exploring the great unknown.
I have a bunch of new info and news to post. I hope to get to it soon. Stay tuned.
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