Bill Mumford, known as "Suddie" to his many friends, passed away in Calgary, Alberta at 1:30 this morning after a long illness.
Bill was best known for many years for producing Mumford's Genealogical Software Report Card at http://www.mumford.ca/reportcard/, a side-by-side comparison of all the leading and some not-so-leading genealogy programs of the time. The Report Card was originally intended to help researchers find a program that suited their needs. His exhaustive detective work helped many people decide which genealogy program they wanted use. Software developers also used his "Report Card" to help find the deficiencies of their own programs when compared to the competition, thereby creating "action lists" for improvements for their next version. Because of Mumford's Genealogical Software Report Card, we all enjoy better software today.
Bill stopped updating the Report Card a few years ago, due to failing health.
Bill Mumford also was the project leader of the GenTech GEDCOM Testbook Project and was a director of GENTECH. He also made presentations at a number of the GenTech conferences. He was a contributing editor for the National Genealogical Society Newsmagazine, a former Vice Chair of the Alberta Family Histories Society, and a past chair of The Alberta Family Histories Society Computer Group.
I last saw Bill at the NGS Conference in Salt Lake City on May 1st of this year. While riding in a scooter and obviously in failing health, his attitude and speech were as upbeat and positive as ever. He was determined to travel to Salt Lake City, despite his health problems. Bill never let such problems stop him from what he wanted to do.
Bill also posted a comment to an article in this newsletter only 3 weeks ago.
Bill helped a lot people, even as his health was declining. The genealogy world will forever be indebted to him.
There will be a short obituary in the Calgary Herald on Monday or Tuesday. He will be cremated and, at his request, there will be no funeral.
UPDATE: An online obituary for Bill has been posted at http://goo.gl/KJdC7
