Community Magazine 
Hans van der Meer has been active in our community for many years. He coordinated a user group, JUG Arnhem-Nijmegen, was a member of the JoomlaDagen team, and co-organized the Joostock Unconference (all in the Netherlands), and he was a longstanding member of several international Joomla teams. Now that he is leaving us, we feel it is only fitting to express our gratitude to this special, wonderful, kind and dedicated Joomler.
Dear Hans,
A Dutch Joomla Community New Year’s reception? The annual Dutch Joomla Community barbecue? Or maybe just the JoomlaDays? I can’t remember which event we first met at. I do remember thinking: what a lovely person he is. We connected right away.
Every time I went to give a talk at the Joomla User Group you coordinated, you invited me over to your house to have dinner with you and your wife. I have fond memories of good food and great conversations with two wonderful people.
Together with two other Joomlers, we organized Joostock, the Dutch unconference - only two editions, but they were legendary for their high level of chaos, creativity, openness, and fun.
"I want to do things for the Joomla Community Magazine," you said at one point. "I just don’t have much time, and actually I’m not really a writer." We know just what to do about that at JCM: we always need people who conduct interviews. So that’s what happened: you interviewed just about every Joomla User Group in the world, as well as a number of Joomlers.
We worked together. We talked about things happening in the JoomlaSphere, things we liked, things we didn’t understand or didn’t agree with. We went to Spain, Joomla’s Forum for the Future, together, in 2020. We gossiped (anyone who’s reading this: yes, probably about you too). Occasionally we went out for meals with a small group of other Joomlers that lived nearby. I enjoyed all of that so much.
Hans, it was a pleasure to work with you. You’re friendly, fun to be with, easy-going, down-to-earth, and kind. And even though we didn’t see each other or stay in touch as often after you stopped working for JCM, I’m going to miss you terribly.
Thank you, Hans, for being my Joomla friend all these years.
Anja de Crom
Hans,
Although we've never had the chance to meet in person, I've always really enjoyed working with you through Joomla marketing and social media.
I still remember when I set up the Joomla 17th birthday campaign and somehow managed to give you and the social media team something to post every single day! You never complained, at least not to my face, and instead you were incredibly supportive. I've always remembered and appreciated that.
It's one of the lovely things about this community that you can work alongside someone from across the world and still feel that you've got to know them.
I'm thinking of you and your family and sending you love.
Louise Hawkins
Hans,
I met you years ago, when you were part of the social media team. Ali, you and I spent several years on that team, and we made a really great trio, supporting each other. We were in constant contact, chatting about everything and anything and sharing many good moments along the way.
Our last Joomla meetup together was in Marbella in 2020 for the Forum for the Future.
Even if we all left the team, we’ve always stayed in touch.
At the very end of August, while you were vacationing in the French Alps, you drove over to visit me at home. We spent a wonderful day together, and I was really happy to have the chance to see you again.
You’re a deeply kind, sincere, and honest person, and someone I truly appreciate. I’m very grateful that, even after all these years, we never lost touch.
Sandra Decoux
Hans,
We met through Joomla, in this warm little world of people that care about open source and somehow become a family. You are one of the few people I have spoken to in three languages at once: Dutch, German and English - all mixed up in the same sentence. You helped me with Dutch and helped me to translate a text. You refused to take money because in your view, it was too little effort. I kept practising Dutch, so I would not lose it and occasionally you helped me with it.
You made me want to take a cooking class just as you did. I even considered moving nearby your place just because of the stunning images you shared on social media. For months we hunted together for a cooking course, you even asked your chef for me about similar classes in Germany.
When I went through a hard time, you did not lecture me but shared your own highs and lows. You were there for me, and you were always honest. That is more rare than people might think.
What can I say? Hans, you are reliable in the small things. We had long silences in our conversations but that never mattered. Thank you for all of you. I am glad I have the chance to tell you so.
Elisa Foltyn
Hans, my Number 1
I will always think of you this way. What a team we were with Sandra, you, and I on the Social Media Team. Gathering the news from all over the Joomlasphere and getting it out to everyone. We had so much fun and spent so much time together. I will always have the fondest memories of those years.
I was absolutely delighted when we got to meet finally at the 2020 Forum for the Future. After working with you daily for so long it was such a pleasure. You as smart, funny, and gracious in person as you had been for all those years online.
My time with Joomla was made so much better having been on a team with you.
Thank you,
Ali
(Alison Meeks)
Dear Hans,
We never worked closely together, but you stayed with me anyway. What I remember from Joomladagen is your smile, every single time, and that you were always ready to help without ever making it feel like a favour.
And I remember you in the social media team as the rock in the surf. Whatever came at it, you stayed steady, and you stayed kind. That was you: you made people feel welcome before they felt sure of themselves.
It made me happy to hear that you wanted to come back last year and work on documentation.
Thank you for how you were with people. It reached further than you knew, and it stayed.
Thinking of you,
Sigrid Gramlinger
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