ABSTRACT
With the death of Jan Hendrik Oort on 1992 November 5, at the age of 92 years, the astronomical community lost one of its most distinguished members. In a span of seventy years of creative activity, Oort witnessed, and contribued to, the development of our picture of the cosmos from one limited to ill defined borders of our Galaxy, to the remote depths of the universe. He shared his intellectual gifts, his inspiration and his enthusiasm for the science of his choice with numerous colleagues, young and old all over the world. For many of them, his passing away means a loss of a dear and highly respected friend. Oort was the Cathern Wolfe Bruce medallist of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in 1942, now a half century ago!.