I came to Nederland in 1992 an extremely unhappy man. Life had not worked out according to my plans (when does it ever cooperate?), and thought a holiday in Holland would cheer me up. It didn't. I was even more unhappy, and was about to return to California. Then, on an evening at a cafe in the Kinkerstraat, I happened to notice somebody pass by me and smile shyly. I was immediately struck by his shyness and his beautiful blue eyes. I smiled back, but we didn't speak. This happened twice more, until he summoned his courage to actually say hello.

There is a cliché called "love at first sight". That was the case for us. From the moment I saw him I fell in love and my heart began to mend. My usual cynicism melted away, and I felt my heart enlarge from a seed to an oak in full glory. That was the power and magic of this man. His charisma, his sensitivity and his beauty, both inner and outer, had the power to transform whatever he touched.

I learned so many things about Isaac in the 16 years we spent together: He was an artist; he was an intellectual; he was a philosopher; a Philanthropist. And, when need be, he was the rock of Gibraltar. His quiet strength went unnoticed by many, but strong he was. When he set his mind to something, he virtually always achieved his goal.

As an artist, I am still in awe of all he created. Costumes for theater productions; clothing for family and friends, and in his last year, beautiful silk cushions in the form of American patchwork quilts that he designed and sewed himself. He even went so far as to learn HTML code so that he could build his own website to promote his work. His website will stand as a memorial to his manifold artistic contributions to our world.

As an intellectual, I am still amazed at the variety of subjects he could claim expertise in. If one had questions about art, be it 16th Century painting or the work of modern artists, he had the answers, and strong opinions of the work and artist. These opinions he could defend with rational arguments as to why he felt as he did. Although the Dutch educational system in the 1950s did not afford him the opportunity of pursuing a University degree, this did not stop him. He studied on his own, and mastered every subject which interested him. I marvel at his capacity for learning, and his everlasting quest to absorb as much as he could what the great thinkers of the world had to offer him.

As I mentioned, he was also a philosopher. Though an atheist, his interest in religion of all sorts, and the thoughts of the great Philosophers through the ages, fascinated him. He had the Bible, the Torah and the Koran side by side on the bookshelf, and I often saw him thumbing through them in an effort to find an answer to a question that puzzled him. He also read all of the works of Bertrand Russell, and could with ease explain to me the thoughts and different opinions of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. I thought of him as my living, breathing encyclopedia.

As a Philanthropist, Isaac was convinced that we, as citizens of a shared world, had to help each other. What follows is a list of the charities which Isaac supported: The International Rescue committee for Darfur; Artsen Zonder Grenzen; Greenpeace; The committee to rescue Iranian gay refugees; Human Rights Watch; the AIDS Fond; the United Jewish Appeal; Amnesty International; Cordaid Kinder Stem; the United Nations Food Bank; UNICEF and the Amsterdam Film Museum. Isaac and I decided together one day that though Tithing was an archaic religious construct, the idea behind it was worthy, and as such we gave 10% of our salaries to charities we thought would help to improve the world for the most vulnerable.

In short, Isaac could be called a Renaissance Man. He was consumed with passion for all aspects of life, both large and small, and needed no formal training to master any subject.

To honor you, and honor the love we shared, my life will continue as it was before you died. Ella and Louis receive the same love and attention they had while you were here with us, and my work will go on as we planned it together. This is the last gift I can give to you, my darling, and I hope I can remain worthy of your respect. Rest in peace, my angel, and I know I will see you again.

More of the Isaac Koole eulogy as written and shared by Jeff W. on July 1, 2008.

Eulogy by Eleanor Silvers

Where to begin. Whenever Isaac and I spoke on the telephone, which was often, we always ended the conversation the same way. I said, "I love you, Isaac" and he said "I love you Eleanor. I will miss hearing that. He had a wonderful voice, very warm and comforting. His English was perfect although he didn't always think so. But it was.

I have two of his wonderful silk pillows that he made for me in my living room. I will treasure them forever. They are so beautiful.

In 2002 Isaac and Jeff came to America and stayed at my house for 3 months. It was during that time that Isaac and I became really close. I have a large back yard, and he loved to putter around in it. It was winter but here in Southern California it was warm and sunny. He would prune my flowers and even planted some new ones. We would sit outside in chairs and just talk. About everything. And nothing. We just enjoyed spending the time together. Many times Jeff would join us, but sometimes it was just the two of us. One of the things we talked about often was how much we both loved Jeff.

Christmas. The best time of the year. And the best thing about it for me? The package from Amsterdam. Because I could look forward to 30 minutes of opening lots of wonderful small packages, each one individually gift wrapped. There were certain gifts that came annually that I was excited to get, but there was also something new every year . Perhaps a CD that Isaac thought I'd like, often by a Dutch performer. There was a calendar, a different kind every year. One that stands out in my mind had pictures of different windmills in the countryside, along with flowers of course. I always took my time opening each present so I could savor it and the thought that went into it. Many items were, as I learned, part of Dutch tradition and I loved learning about that and being part of it. There were wonderful Droste chocolate initials, an "E" and an "S" for me. There was always marzipan,beautiful fruits. There were small ginger cookies that were loose in the box and tumbled out on the kitchen table,some to be eaten immediately. And Dutch cookies. I wasn't always sure what everything was, but that didn't deter from my enjoyment.And there was a card that Isaac wrote, with his beautiful printing, and expressions of love and warmth.What made me smile the most was St.Nick and Peet. I wasn't familiar with that story, and it was explained to me by Isaac and Jeff. So there might be St.Nick and Peet wrapping paper,or the card might have their pictures but they were always there and I came to love them as he did, because he explained to me they were beloved figures in Holland.

I will miss him terribly, his beautiful face with those gorgeous blue eyes, his charming accent when he spoke English and so many other things. But I know he is in a better place, where he is free from pain and worries. Rest in peace, my darling Isaac. You will live forever in the memories of those who love you. And thank you for all the joy and love you brought into Jeff's life. You helped him become the wonderful man he is today.

Eulogy by Jeff's Sister

I can't believe Isaac is gone. That I won't ever hear his voice again. I'd give anything if I still had his last message on my answering machine! He was kind, thoughtful and fun. I always enjoyed talking to him about the garden- I cant pass my daisy bush without thinking of how he meticulously cut every one of the faded blooms. It took a long time, and he was so absorbed,he didn't realize until it was too late- his back was badly sunburned!!

He and I learned to ride a motorcycle together, in our back yard. I think it was in 2002. The photo, It makes me, and Mike too, smile every time we see it!

I can imagine you don't feel too lucky now, but you were all so lucky to have had the time together that you did. And Jeff, you are fortunate to have loved one another as passionately and fiercely as you did.I can't help but look at all the pictures I've taken of you both over the years, and at all the postcards Isaac and Jeff sent from your many exotic travels together, and marvel at the life and experiences they had together. Isaac and Jeff truly are a love story.
I wish I was there to hug and hold you and to try and help ease the pain. I'm so grateful to your dutch family and friends for being there when we couldn't be. I thank each and every one of them.

I felt I had another brother in Isaac, and I'll miss him terribly. The world really has lost a special person.

With love, Debbie Ramos

Eulogy by Bear Capron

Although none of us can know with any certitude how or where our beloved Isaac's powerful spirit may now reside, we each have our own particular faith and our shared loving regard for Isaac. I'd like to reflect on Isaac's spirit.

What began as an eight-year romance, through most of the 1970s, evolved into the unconditional love of deep friendship. Over all these years, I have had the enormous privilege of seeing this beautiful, creative, passionate man evolve, too. For even as Isaac spent his life creating beauty in everything he touched, everything his life touched, he was his own greatest, ever-changing masterpiece. Isaac was a self-made made. He took all he was given by his family and his education and then continued to reinvent himself, always evolving. I've never known anyone as curious about all manner of things – curious AND determined, yes, stubborn enough! – to really pursue a topic, a design, a project until he'd thoroughly made it his own.

This powerful bringing together of visionary creativity with Isaac's passionate dedication to exquisite craftsmanship, care, style and beauty, made Isaac the artist he was born to be. He brought this art to his whole life, to co-create with Jeff a lovely home, a handy workspace, a beautiful, harmonious life. Yes, this was a hard won harmony. Both Isaac and Jeff, singly and together, faced enormous challenges along their life paths. Their deep, sustaining love of life and of each other saw them through many a hard time. Isaac took everything that his life offered him – pulling inspiration from other eras, far-flung cultures, the worlds of design, cinema, and all the arts – and time and again created something breathtakingly beautiful.

Being so far away in California, I can still feel close with you all now and with dear Isaac, for his spirit has lit up our lives with an eternal flame. Let us re-dedicate ourselves to a life of taking all that life gives us and doing our best to turn it into something truly beautiful.

Isaac, you burned your candle at both ends,
it did not last the night,
but oh, we know, beloved friend,
it gave a lovely light.