Jacob Sparre Andersen has passed away

[Tim Courtney]

It is with sadness and a heavy heart I share the news that our friend and former [color=#365899][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,]LDraw.org webmaster Jacob Sparre Andersen passed away Sunday after a brief but difficult battle with stomach cancer. He leaves behind his wife Christina and young daughter Lea.[/font][/color]

If you have memories of Jacob and would like to send condolences, please share them here. After a time I'll kindly pass them to Jacob's wife Christina, and will share additional details such as a contact address or obituary site according to her wishes.

EDIT: Funeral details from Christina:

Dear All.
 

The funeral of Jacob takes place on Saturday, December 22 at 13:00 (cet) in Hoersholm Church,

 

Hørsholm Kirke

Barakstien 2,

2970 Hørsholm

Denmark

You are very welcome, but I know that many of you do not come,.
Perhaps you can send him a loving thought or whatever you feel is right to do ..
 
Since Jacob has a huge circle of people, I have not had time to read and answer everyone yet. It will come.
 
Sincerely Christina

END EDITS

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[color=#1d2129][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,]Here are a few thoughts and memories I wrote about Jacob yesterday upon learning the news:

It is with sadness and a heavy heart I learned that my collaborator and friend of twenty years Jacob Sparre Andersen passed away after a short battle with stomach cancer. My heart [/font][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,]goes out to his lovely wife Christina and young daughter Lea.

Jacob and I have been in touch online since the late 1990s, when we were both active in the LDraw community and the online LEGO hobby. Jacob was one of my first international collaboration partners when I was still in my teens. Our different perspectives challenged me and spurred my personal growth.

We first met in person in 2002, when I was visiting Lars C. Hassing in Aarhus, and Jacob visited for dinner. We reconnected in Copenhagen in early 2012, after I began working for LEGO. First, he took me to a favorite cafe Obelix, and later invited me to lunch at his home. We've met for drinks, new Nordic cuisine, and walked around town a handful of times since. Most recently we grabbed burgers in Christianshavn and caught up on work, life, and my recent cross-country move to California.

Favorite memories include a tour he gave me of the Niels Bohr institute (including Niels Bohr's private office), stories of the Faroe Islands, and his ideas for extreme bicycle designs; like one that generated electricity by pedaling, which would power a motor on the rear hub through a wire instead of using a chain, just because it was possible. He got such a kick out of the idea. I'll miss meeting him for a bite and our talks about LEGO, bicycles, physics, politics, places in the world he's lived, and his work engineering complex systems. I'll remember him as kind, fair, consistent, ethical, caring, creative, passionate, interested in the world, and therefore interesting to be around.

Attached is a photo I took of Jacob at lunch in September, because I was laughing at the irony of his sweater. He said his daughter Lea got it for him, because she liked the bird. I remember how much he loved his daughter. Every time we met, he was so proud to talk about what they were building with LEGO or something she was into, like the sweater. As much as I will miss my friend, I cannot imagine the loss Christina and Lea are feeling now, and I keep them in my thoughts.[/font][/font][/color]

[color=#1d2129][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,]--[/font][/font][/color]

[color=#1d2129][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,]Sincerely,[/font][/font][/color]

[color=#1d2129][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,][font=system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui,]Tim Courtney[/font][/font][/color]

[Orion Pobursky]

I didn't know Jacob particularly well but he was key to LDraw in the early years. My heart is heavy for his family in this trying time. For his wife, if there is anything we, as a community, or me, personally, can do to make this difficult journey more bearable, please do not hesitate to ask.

[Tim Courtney]

I didn't know Jacob particularly well but he was key to LDraw in the early years. My heart is heavy for his family in this trying time. For his wife, if there is anything we, as a community, or me, personally, can do to make this difficult journey more bearable, please do not hesitate to ask.

I've updated the original post with funeral details. If someone in Denmark is attending or able to send flowers, perhaps they could coordinate and those who want may contribute toward the cost (I'm in). If not, I could inquire to a local friend who might be able to help.

My sense is Christina and Lea would appreciate receiving kind words with memories of Jacob, or from people who his work has reached. This thread can be one place to collect them, and I'll make sure she receives them after enough have come in.

Tim

[Jaco van der Molen]

Sad news indeed which makes me sad too. I have had contact with him way in back in the first days of LDraw and he helped me out.
My thoughts and condolences to his family. Jacob will be remembered!