About Tim
Your time is limited.
Don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Steve Jobs
Timotei Centea has always been – for those around him - a beautiful dream: a shining mind, an unmistakable smile, a force greater than nature and a kind person difficult to equal. He could rise above his times: in any historical context would Tim have evolved, he would have had this rare ability to find his purpose in life. Few are those who have the power to live their life with enthusiasm, while being, at the same time, a blessing for those around. Our beloved Tim was definitely one of them.
Tim has been an exemplary man: his exceptional intellectual qualities lived together in a person of a rare kindness. He had a curiosity without limits and a ardent desire to help the others. Everyone was happy around him – and, by their happiness, he had found a sense of living … up until a tragic cardiac accident in his sleep, on March 9, 2019, stole him from us forever.
The shock of his passing caused a wave of messages from four continents. Friends, acquittances, school buddies, university comrades, families, associates, institutions – all expressed their sympathy, regret and the desire to keep his memory alive. USC and McGill Universities organized two commemorations in Los Angeles and Montreal, and, in honor of his name, a memorial award has been established for Canadian PhD students. A school in Africa was funded in his memory, as a legacy of his affection for the Masai ethnic group. At the same time, NASA and SAMPE have granted awards in recognition for Tim’s work and heritage, while several patents which he co-authored have been approved or are in the process of approval.
In the following pages, we invite you to remember him, with his professional merits, but - beyond them- with the beautiful story of his life . While evoking his soul, his smile and the warmth of his existence, please accompany us in our journey to (re)discover the exceptional personality of our unique, and beloved, Tim.