I think Dijkstra's death a few days ago was the first "celebrity" death that I've actually felt genuine sadness over. Dijkstra was an inspiration to me, though I knew of him only through reading some of his work and reading odd little anecdotes about him, such as how he supposedly refused to use computers, his fascination with fountain pens, and so on.
In a world where computers and the internet are increasingly becoming more convoluted and misunderstood daily by the general public, by polticians and lawmakers, and by corporations, I held Dijkstra's example close to my heart. He understood computers. He did not accept mediocrity in their implementation, because he knew their potential and he was seemingly distraught at their improper use and role. He kept his sense of humor throughout.
At the same time, though, he clearly put computers in perspective and saw them how they should be seen. He strived for perfection in them, but he respected computers. He wouldn't want them doing something that they really had no place doing, such as writing letters, in his case.
To him, computers were not a means to an end, they were an end in themselves, in a way. He has left us with a solid foundation, and I just hope that his vision and his principles live on in hearts and minds of true geeks and programmers everywhere. So, I didn't know Dijkstra personally. I wish I had though, and I'll miss him none the less. May he rest in peace.