Message from the Chair of the UNC Computer Science Department (personal phone number elided):<p>Dear Friends,<p>It is with great sadness that I must share the following update on the health of the Department Founder Dr. Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. I know how much Dr. Brooks has meant to the department, to computer graphics, to the world of computing, and to each of you. So I wanted to reach out and pass on the following message from his son, Roger Brooks.<p>Dr. Samarjit Chakraborty
Chair, UNC Department of Computer Science<p>– Begin Forwarded Message –
Subject: Frederick's condition and his Hope<p>Dear ones:<p>As you may have heard, on Saturday my father came home from the hospital into hospice care. He spends most of the time sleeping. When (slightly) awake, he is only slightly responsive, and not able to respond verbally to questions. He seems to be in no pain and no particular discomfort. He is eating and drinking small amounts, but far from enough.<p>Frederick P. Brooks Jr. has fought the good fight, run the good race, been an outstanding husband and father and mentor and friend of many . . . and is now fading away. His hope and his coming joy, in death and in life, is in his Lord Jesus Christ, who I know will welcome him with “Well done . . .”.<p>The hospice nurse tells us that my father may live several days to 10 days or so.<p>You may share this information with all who would want to know. I know that I am missing email addresses for beloved friends which exist somewhere in my parents’ contact lists, and I apologize that I do not have time to dig for those.<p>With family and aides around, we have ample help. If you would like to come and visit my mother, or bring your last respects and prayers to my father, please just call the house first. Close friends are welcome, but it is hard to predict in advance when things will be busy or peaceful.<p>Kori Robbins, associate pastor at Orange Methodist Church, visited yesterday and prayed what I thought was exactly the appropriate, loving, and merciful prayer, which she tells me she adapted from Douglas McKelvey's A Liturgy for the Final Hours. We ask you to join in this prayer:<p>O God our Father,
O Christ our Brother,
O Spirit our comforter,<p>Fred is ready.<p>Now meet him at this mortal threshold
and deliver him to that eternal city;
to your radiant splendor;
to your table and the feast and
the festival of friends;
to the wonder and the welcome
of his heart's true home.<p>He but waits for your word.
Bid him rise and follow,
and he will follow you
gladly into that deeper glory,<p>O Spirit his True Shepherd,
O Christ his True King,
O God his True and Loving Father,
receive him now, and forgive his sins,
through the blood of his Savior Jesus Christ.<p>Roger Brooks Sr.