Sad News

[Fred in Skirts]

May he rest in peace. Carl will be missed at the cafe. He kept the cafe running and managed the software and the computer we operate on..

[mikeu]

It was about 30 years ago that I met Carl and another guy Dave. The three of us shared a passion for vintage computers. We started collecting "minicomputers" - each one is the size of a refrigerator. We started a computer museum called the Retro-Computing Society of RI. Carl was one of my best friends. I was devastated when I heard the news.

-mikeu

It is with great sorrow that I notify Skirt Cafe' of the passing of our Master Barista

- - Carl Friend(crfriend) - -

From Mikeu, our newest member and Carl's co-founder of the Retro Computing Society of RI at https://rcsri.org/

He had a brain hemorrhage. The damage from the stroke was too severe to recover from. It was quite sudden.
There won't be a funeral. He will be cremated. His ashes will be scattered at sea. He loved sailing.

I will post obituary information, once I get it.

May he Rest In Peace

Uncle Al

[Coder]

This is terrible news - I still am in disbelief and shock. He always had an encouraging word, and for that I’m grateful!

[mikeu]

There's a photo here of Carl with one of his favorite computers:

http://users.rcn.com/crfriend/

Living Computer Museum in Seattle, April 2013.

-mikeu

[Dick Ackerman]

May he rest in peace.

[Uncle Al]

Save from his museum website.

C.R. Carl Friend JPG 2026-03-05.jpg

This pic is from his trip to Seattle, to help restore this unit.

Uncle Al

[mikeu]

FYI, our computer museum saved a backup of Carl's website. It is preserved at:

https://rcsri.org/crfriend/

-mikeu

Save from his museum website.
C.R. Carl Friend JPG 2026-03-05.jpg
This pic is from his trip to Seattle, to help restore this unit.

Uncle Al

[brionacmkw]

Rest in peace, this has come as quite a shock