Family, friends, and followers of the popular "Linux in the Hamshack" podcast are grieving the loss of its host Russ Woodman, K5TUX. Russ became a Silent Key on the 14th of January. His death came 16 days after hospitalization for complications from influenza.

His wife, Cheryl, W5MOO, who posted daily updates on his condition on Facebook, announced his death.

The news hit family, friends, and his followers hard. On his YouTube channel, Russ tells viewers that although he first began Linux in the Hamshack to give amateurs options beyond using closed-source software, his efforts gained momentum and expanded into podcasts, video tutorials, and other activities. As his constituency grew, he proudly called Linux in the Hamshack (quote) "a podcast, a state of mind, and a phenomenon" (endquote)

For more than 15 years, his podcast has been co-hosted by numerous fellow amateurs, including his wife, Cheryl.

Russ, who was first licensed in 1993, was 56.