It was with extreme sadness that we learned of the passing of Ozcan Sandikçioğlu – our friend and one of the leaders of FIJET for the past two decades.

Despite his many accomplishments – he was a member of the Istanbul Bar Association, President and manager of Tourism Press for the Turkish Travel writers and journalists Association (ATURJET) since 1991 and President of Miss Turkey Organization since 1980 (the license holder of Miss World Ltd, Miss Universe Inc. and many other international pageants) – Ozcan always made time for his colleagues in FIJET.

No matter what the situation or how busy he might have been, Ozcan always found time for anyone who came to him with a problem or a question. As a member of the FIJET Executive Committee for more than 20 years, I will always remember him as a man who would strive to find fair solutions to any question or controversy that came before the Committee. We sometimes disagreed, but he was never disagreeable. When tempers flared, he remained cool. When harsh words were exchanged, he was the voice of reason.

My most vivid memory of him was his wonderful sense of humor which transcended language and culture. I remember a time when we were in Tunisia several years ago on the occasion of a FIJET Board of Directors meeting.

During lunch, Ozcan decided he wanted to have shrimp. But not any shrimp, he wanted “jumbo” shrimp. We had a good-natured joke when I asked why he is “demanding” something special. He knew the comment was all just in fun. Instead of being upset, he immediately joined in and had a great time laughing at himself. From then on, I started to call him “Mr. Jumbo Shrimp.”

With the sly smile that was so typical of this fine man, he topped me by saying, “I accept the ‘Jumbo’ but I reject the ‘shrimp’ part.” From then on, I called him “Mr. Jumbo”! It was a tribute as much to his sense of humor as it was to his stature as a man.

I will also never forget the wonderful Congress he, his brother Ertan and his son Can organized just last year in Turkey. It was clear from the moment we arrived in Istanbul that this was more than a job for Ozcan. Like everything he did, it was something very personal for him. It was as if he was inviting all of us to his home. Even though he was ill at the time, no one would ever know it. His personal attention to details made all of us feel like royal guests.

Ozcan was my friend and a friend to all of us. He will surely be missed, but his influence, his wisdom and his sense of humor will be a part of my memory, and that of FIJET, for years to come.

Goodbye old friend.

– By Jim Thompson