The progressive community--and the world--lost a wonderful companion when Irv Pollack, 77, passed away last Friday morning in Seattle after a brief illness.

Irv was many things to many people: a key advocate for better senior housing in battles with the Seattle Housing Authority, a central figure in CURSE and the free speech movement at KCMU-FM in the early '90s, a supporter of various pirate radio projects (which is where I first met him) and of Eat the State!, a beloved alumnus of the Casa Chile anti-Pinochet solidarity group, and much more. He had many years and a wealth of experience which he didn't hesitate to share--which could be irritating, but more often was part of his charm. He loved engaging people, telling stories, and fighting for what he knew to be right.

Irv had been in somewhat frail health for the last several years (a condition doubtless exacerbated by his penchant for bumming smokes off the homeless kids on Broadway, "his" neighborhood). From the time of his latest, most serious setback--a major heart attack on Oct. 5--until his death 11 days later, friends materialized seemingly from nowhere to keep Irv company. He was literally with friends at his bedside 24 hours per day for the entire 11-day period. They came from all different age groups, walks of life, all loyal to one guy. I hope, if I'm ever incapacitated in that way again, I can have that kind of a community come together around me. I hope anyone can.

ETS! generally isn't in the habit of running obits, but wherever Irv's spirit is, we wanted to make sure he'd see his. Irv's last reading material on Thursday--after rendering his usual blunt judgment on the Times and P-I ("give me something that's not lies!")--was last week's ETS!. This week, we wanted to make sure everyone knows that we in Seattle's progressive communities have lost a fierce advocate and a friend. He is survived by a son in South Lake Tahoe, an older sister in New York City, and hundreds of friends. His spirit will live on with all of us.