I knew exactly who Terry was, despite the fact that I only met him once. I did a news story for Carleton undergrad journalism on some East Timor school story and we started chatting about this alternative barter economy stuff that the grassroots could get into. Terry was very animated and it is a testament to his personal vivaciousness that I remember the conversation (our only meeting) clearly (right outside Ziggy's hair salon in the Unicentre at Carleton) to this day five years later. I remember the twinkle in his eyes and how *engaged* Terry was in making the world a better place.
I wasn't a friend or even an acquaintance of Terry. Yet, for some reason, hearing of his passing seems to have had a disproportionate effect on me and I wanted to pass this on as surely one measure of a person is the strength of his ideas and the longevity of his personal impression. Funny to say this, but I don't think I'll ever forget Terry Cottam.