Janet Akyuz Mattei

ALCOVE Database ®

In Memoriam: Janet Hanula Akyüz Mattei (1943 - 2004)

"To me, an observation of a variable star is not a number, not a statistic. It's something very much alive. I see the estimate and imagine the observer's face light up as he or she looks at the star through a telescope."
Janet Akyüz Mattei

THERE HAD BEEN A "JANET HANIM" IN OUR LIVES

When we first started our tribute page for our astronomer friends, we had absolutely no idea that we will post this tribute page for Janet one day. Her passing has been so much saddening that we still can not believe that she is not among us anymore. However, her spirit, her enthusiasm, her energy and her charm, as the rabbi mentioned at her funeral ceremony, will always live with us for as long as we are alive, and even after our life on this planet is over. Because, we will pass the knowledge and the pride of knowing Janet on to our future generations.

I got to know Janet (or, Janet Hanim – Mrs. Janet, as we always called her in Turkish), exactly 21 years ago, when I wrote to her for help and information while founding the astronomy club at the Bosphorus (Bogazici) University in Istanbul where I had my studies. I was so surprised to receive not only a reply, and an envelope full of information (on mostly variable stars), but also a very personal touch (as can be confirmed by many of us in the astronomy community) as well: her handwriting in Turkish to congratulate our endeavor and promising every support she could have provided.

Janet was pivotal in my variable star observing, together with Emile Schweitzer of AFOEV. I owe everything I do in this field today to both of them. Through our letters, I witnessed the growth of the AAVSO, that I joined in 1984, from a small group of VSOers squeezed in the 187 Concord Avenue office, to the greatest international organization as known today at its current address. Although Janet had invited me to the 75th annual meeting of the organization in their newly acquired office building in 1986, I could not meet her personally until March of 1988. That year, I was going to attend the congress of an international student organization (AIESEC), to be held in Sturbridge, MA. When I mentioned this to Janet, she was very excited to finally meet me, her young countryman and very enthusiastic amateur astronomer. I think she was away from Cambridge when I first arrived to the US for the congress in February, so I was able to talk to her from Los Angeles, CA (where the student organization had a 1-week field trip), one day prior to my flight back to Boston. I still vividly remember my conversation to her over the phone, the excitement in her voice while she was explaining to me how to get to the AAVSO office by public transportation from Harvard Square.

What a terrific day it was for me! I was finally meeting this legendary lady face to face. I could not believe my eyes and ears how genuine, how warm, how welcoming and how lovely she was! And she has never changed a bit since then until her passing. Janet welcomed me, introduced me to the HQ staff, talked me about my observations, asked questions about my parents, Turkey, my studies, and million other things. Then she asked Elizabeth (O. Waagen, current Interim Director), her Senior Technical Assistant, to give me a tour of the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory which I was so anxious to see. That evening, she took me out to dinner in Harvard Square, gave me lots of advice about places to visit in Cambridge and Boston, and about life. I will never forget that evening in my life. Although we had so many meetings, dinners and the like later, that first one had a very deep impact on me. I was asking to myself, how this worldwide known science personality was willing to spare her day and night with this young amateur, to encourage him to contribute even more what he has been already doing then. That exactly how Janet was!

My second face to face meeting with Janet was at the First European Meeting of the AAVSO, in Brussels, Belgium in July 1990. It was a very exciting meeting when I met most of the well known figures in variable star astronomy and many amateur astronomers from around the world. That same year, she made me famous (at least within the borders of Turkey) by asking me to observe U Gem for the IUE satellite. In a way, you can say that she paved the way my meeting with my wife Gamze, who has been working as an astronomical technical assistant at the AAVSO HQ since January 1998. Because, my story of the U Gem observation opened me the 15-minute fame on TV and I met Gamze the first time during one of the TV shows I was attending in 1991.

When we decided to move to the US in 1996, Janet, again was pivotal in guiding us through this emotionally painstaking process. After talking to her at the Second European AAVSO meeting in Switzerland in May 1997, we ended up settling down in Boston, MA, to be closer to her. We can never forget how much she helped us to adjust to our new lives in the New World, how much she offered to comfort us and how generous she was in making us feel here home away from our home. If we managed to become what we are today (in the US), we owe literally everything to Janet Hanim.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. But there she was, with us, behind us, leading us, guiding us, enlightening us, caring of us, and most importantly loving us! Always. There wasn’t a single moment or event or problem that she did not offer her help to save our day!

She was our friend, our family, our parent, a shoulder we can cry on in difficult moments, a mentor to turn to in times of need, and a second mother above all else. We have shared every moment of our lives in this country with Janet. We have been with her (and Mike) in our good times, going to lunch, to dinner, to have fun, to have a stroll. We have been with her (and Mike) in our bad times, the following night she was hospitalized in early September 2003, during her battle with death in the ICU, during her recovery in the rehab center, and over the phone all this time. We even participated in her physical activity session once while she was staying in the rehab hospital.

Since our lives were so much intermingled and we have lived all the pain and suffering with her during her 7-month long battle with leukemia and its “treatment”, we have prepared ourselves for the worst. Or, we thought we did.

How much we worried about her when she did not return Gamze’s messages on her answering machine (extremely unusual of her) in the last weekend of August! How much we wanted to hug her on our first visit to the hospital on that September evening, the day before they started the chemotherapy treatment (hospital rules prevented that hug)! How much we prayed for her recovery while she was put on ventilator in the ICU! How much relieved we felt when she returned to our world one Saturday morning in December, smiling, recognizing us and being her own self again! How much she talked to Gamze, next to her hospital bed, or over to phone from her home, to explain the struggle she had been through for so long! How much fun we had together when we celebrated her last birthday in the rehab center in January. How much we hoped that the experimental drug would save her life and bring her back to us!

Nothing can bring her back now. No words can describe our sorrow and feelings now. The gifts we got for her thinking that she would enjoy them during her recovery period at home after the stem cell transplant are alone now. We are all orphans now. No one could have helped to change her fate.

She used to often say “Hey gidi hey!” in our private conversations, to refer to amazing and unexpected situations. Per our friend Dr. Mike Saladyga, the librarian of the AAVSO, it can roughly be translated as “How about that?”. Now, it’s our turn to say, “Hey gidi hey Janet Hanim, hey gidi hey!” What will happen now?

Another term she was using all the time was “Kalsaydiniz” (meaning, wouldn’t you stay a little longer?, when you’d like someone to stay with you, when you visit them). Now, we would like to scream, “Kalsaydiniz Janet Hanim, keske bizimle biraz daha kalsaydiniz” (Couldn’t you stay a little longer with us dear Janet?).

We wish upon your star…

Gamze & Haldun I. Menali
Your daughter and son you never had

May all the stars of the universe, not only the variable ones, be with you Janet!
You will always live in our hearts and we will always love you.

HALDUN'S EMAIL TO THE AAVSO, to express his immediate feelings

Subj: [AAVSO-DIS] To Janet
Date: 3/23/04 1:06:04 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: AstroAlcove (at) aol.com
To: aavso-discussion (at) aavso.org

Dear Friends,

I heard the excruciatingly painful news at the AAVSO HQ yesterday afternoon
where I was waiting with my wife Gamze and my dear friends at the HQ. Words
would do injustice to express our grief and feelings. Janet was our
everything; a second mother to Gamze and myself, in our home away from
home.

We will always cherish our memories about her and will always love her,
from deep within our hearts. A tribute will be posted on our webpage later
this weekend.

I believe Janet already took her place among the greatest humanitarians in
history. In order to honor her forever, I recommend, as a member for 20
years now, the AAVSO Council to rename the HQ building as "The Clinton B.
Ford and Janet Akyüz Mattei Astronomical Data and Research Center". This is
the least we can do for the extraordinary human being who dedicated her
whole life to the association.

With my sincere sympathies to our friend Mike, Janet's family and the AAVSO
family.

Janet hanimcigimiza Tanri'dan rahmet, sevenlerine bassagligi diliyoruz.

Haldun I. Menali (MHI)
http://members.aol.com/astroalcove/index.html

Note on 7/20/04: I am not sure whether or not my above suggestion would be ever fulfilled, however, I have already decided to name my future personal astronomical observatory after Janet.

HALDUN'S OBSERVATIONS TO COMMEMORATE JANET
(from the AAVSO's Quick Look file)

Desig Name Date JD Mag Obsrvr Code | Observer Comments

0852+11 RT CNC MAR 29.1458 2453093.6458 7.5 MHI O | THIS ONE IS FOR YOU, JANET!

0849+17 X CNC MAR 29.1458 2453093.6458 6.7 MHI O | THIS ONE IS FOR YOU, JANET!

MANKIND WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, JANET!
What They Said After You Left This World

The below is excerpts from the messages sent to the AAVSO. You can read them in their entirety at the AAVSO’s The World Remembers Janet A. Mattei page.

The AAVSO has lost a strong leader who has guided our organization to greatness. The world of astronomy has lost a patron of her field. Amateur astronomers the world over have lost a mentor who bridged the world of amateurs and professionals. —Mario Motta, MD

The Great One I'll Never Meet —Christopher Watson

Let us continue to observe the variable stars in memory of this wonderful woman Janet Akyuz Mattei! Goodbye dear Janet! —Georg Comello (The Netherlands)

…. After hiking around a lava field in Hawaii, the tour guide indicated it was time to go. Janet clapped her hands together and said , "alright everybody, time to go. Watch your step, be careful!" I was suddenly a ten year old on a field trip and the teacher had just told us to get back on the bus! It wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out that she knew everyone's name in that group, and was personally taking a head count before leaving anyone behind. ….. I'll always remember her as a five foot something ball of energy who wore maybe a size 5 sneaker. But whoever inherits the unenviable task of filling her shoes is going to feel like they have just slipped on a pair of 32 triple E's. ….. That was Janet. —Mike and Irene Simonsen

CLEAR SKIES Janet! We Love you! — Keith and Sylvia Danskin

Restu Pace Inter la Steloj, JAM. Rest Peacefully Amongst the Stars. —Richard Kinne

What a sad day! —Jaime Garcia (Argentina)

I wonder how many others were inspired by Janet to study the night sky. —Paul Zeller

"Janet Mattei, rest in peace. God keeps a place for you in the endless space of stars" —Oscar Osorio (Guatemala)

She blazed a wide trail in astronomy. —Paul Temple

Now, every time, when I look toward the sky I'll know that Janet's Star live there. Clear skies for you Janet... —Frota (Brazil)

Professional astronomers have lost one of their best. Amateur astronomers have lost a great mentor, supporter and friend. The world has lost a wonderful person. —Dave Hurdis

A great loss! —Bill Zeilstra

I will always remember her kindness, her willingness to go that extra distance to help others, and her grand intelligence. —John A. Blackwell

Janet's warmth and kindness reminded me a lot of how a mother cares for her children. It's evident in all the lives of those she touched. I will always remember Janet as a caring friend and "mother of the AAVSO family". —Vance Petriew (Canada)

The astronomy of variable stars is in deep mourning, a big star has just gone off. —The Board of Directors of AFOEV (France)

It's very sad to know that we shall never meet her in this life. —N.Katysheva, I.Volkov, S.Shugarov, N.Volkova. Sternberg Institute, Moscow (Russia)

…. she touched everyone of us in some special way. Her spirit will then live on. Thanks Janet. —Paul Norris

I got the impression she was a big lady in a small frame. —Mike Poxon (UK)

What a nice lady ! I always remember her by heart. —Alan Chu (Hong Kong)

Just some time before the entire assembly program is over, she caught me and gave special words of good-bye in case she may not see me again during the session. This was the last words I heard from her. —Taichi Kato (Japan)

I miss Janet already, because she was my greatest inspiration in what I do. —Ben Oppenheimer

She was a great Lady —Roland Santallo (Tahiti)

Janet was such a special person that made you feel welcome in her life like she knew you since ever. —Roberto Boccadoro (Italy)

A new variable star is shining in the sky: goodbye Janet —Sergio Foglia (Italy)

I feel as though the world has lost a star, but in a way, Janet has returned to the stars and all we have to do to capture her again is look up. —Carolyn Collins Petersen

Her spirit is in the heavens for all of us. ….. My last visit was just before she was diagnosed. Janet had been working very hard, as always, and traveling most of the summer and into the fall. She had become very tired but joined us for a while. Our conversation turned to her homeland of Turkey. She brightened and offered to make her special Turkish Tea for us. I will never forget how good that tea tasted. It was made with love…… Shalom, 'til we meet again, —Paul Valleli

One can say that she is now at rest among the stars. —Michael Boschat (Canada)

Janet now joins the crews of Columbia, Challenger, and Apollo 1. She may have passed on in a physical sense, but she smiles down upon us from her place in the stars. —Keith Graham

Janet obviously touched many lives ... the world over. ….. This world felt a good bit emptier today. But in those first rays I knew she lives on in my memory and the memories of countless others. —Jack Davis

I will light a candle under the stars for Janet.—Mika Luostarinen (Finland)

She was the keystone of the AAVSO. —Al Holm

She was such a warm and easy, friendly person it was easy to love her. — Dr. Jan A Smit (South Africa)

She was a great woman and an amazing human being. —Tiffany Llenos

Her wit, kindness and leadership will be badly missed. —Francoise Genova (France)

What a shock. —Dan Green

The astronomical community will never be the same. —Albert and Carolyn Jones (New Zealand)

By far the most fitting effort we can make in response to Janet's death is to go out and observe a variable star. …… if Janet were here, that would please her the most. —Lenny Abby

She will live in my memories for ever. —Sonja Vrielmann (Germany)

The cosmos has lost a star. —Dana Berry

Finding solutions to the problems of amateurs throughout the world has almost been her main duty. —Cafer IBANOGLU (Turkey)

For Janet, my comfort will come from imagining her journeys. She loved the stars, and I can picture her zipping off to look first-hand at what she studied here. Her first stop must be SS Cygni, 90 to 100 light years away. But who says souls need to be limited by relativity? I think she would traverse that great distance in a few days, and as she travels, she would be looking into the future of what we will observe, accumulating some 800 outbursts en route. Then, she would have a chance to see how good (or bad) the models are, and stay to watch an outburst, perhaps, picking her vantage point for a good view. After she visits her favorite cataclysmics, I picture her swinging by at least the closest, brightest Miras - Chi Cyg, Mira, and R Leo. She can check on our models, and I can imagine her doing so, wishing she could tell us what we got right and what we did not. I can't picture her traveling among the stars forever, though, because a big piece of her passion is here on Earth. She must return, perhaps stopping first at Asteroid Mattei to look over the real estate there, but coming back here to where family, friends, observers and members are. In a few months, when the void she has left begins to feel less acute, we can imagine that this is because she is now here, visiting each of us, looking to see that we are all right and on track. When you are observing, or sending your observations in, or data mining some variable star archive, she may be looking over your shoulder. —Lee Anne Willson

I would request you all to do one thing tonight...make one observation of a variable star...a BRIGHT one, as Janet was, and dedicate it to her in your observing logs. This would be the greatest tribute to her that she could wish! —Mike Begbie (Zimbabwe)

Janet was a more than worthy successor to Mr. Campbell and to Mrs. Mayall. —Bob Hill

The heavens shine with the advent of a new supernova tonight-Janet Mattei has joined the stars which she loved so well. —Bruce Huskey

The AAVSO will never have another director as competent or a better friend for all of us who observe variable stars —Jose Ripero (Spain)

Hasta Siempre, Farewell Janet. —Miguel Rodríguez (Spain)

Now, I shall not be able to watch a variable star without thinking of Janet. —Michel Jacquesson (France)

Grazie Janet da un astrofilo italiano. Grazie di cuore. — Dario Apollonio (Italy)

Janet was one of the brilliant stars of astronomy.... She always made time for friends, colleagues, and complete strangers. She touched people across the world. And all of us will remember ... —Scott Kenyon

A life is death on earth; a star is born in the sky. —Enrico Mariani (Italy)

LINKS TO OTHER TRIBUTE PAGES AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JANET

AAVSO's Tribute to Janet Page

Janet's Biography, at the AAVSO

Turkish National Observatory (TUG) has posted a tribute to Janet on its home page. They also have a page where Turkish astronomers can express their condolences.

Mario Motta's email announcing Janet's passing away, on the AAVSO Discussion Group Archives.

Sky and Telescope's Tribute Page to Janet

Astronomy Magazine's Tribute Page to Janet

New York Times Obituary of Janet, published on April 2, 2004 (requires registration)

Boston Globe Obituary of Janet, published on April 7, 2004

Tribute to Janet, by the Society for Amateur Scientists

Remembrance Page for Janet, by Skyscrapers, Inc., the Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island.

Cosmic Mirror's News on Janet's Passing Away, by Daniel Fischer of Germany.

The AAVSO's Invariable Star - David Levy's article on Janet that appeared on AAVSO's website in January, 2004

Janet's Biography, at the University of Hawai'i

Janet's Biography, at the Christina River Institute

Janet's Biography, Women Astronomers

Janet's Biography, at the Turkish National Observatory (TUG)

About Janet and "her" asteroid, at the Alumni Society of the Izmir American Highschool where she attended (also click here).

Tribute to Janet on the Weekly Issue of the American Astronomical Society Committee on the Status of Women

Janet's Obituary at the Gaia Project of the ESA

Tribute to Janet by the Unione Astrofili Italiani

Janet's Obituary at the NTV News of Turkey

"Flowers are stars of the Earth; stars are flowers of the Universe."
Janet Akyüz Mattei

Please visit our "Tribute to Our Fellow Amateurs" page to read about other fellow amateurs and friends that we lost in recent years.

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