The background to these memories is the correspondence between Harold Leroy Stewart (HLS) and Lucio Severi (LS) covering the years from 1955 to 1986 and consisting of 297 letters, 167 of which came from HLS. The subject of and reason for most of these letters follow a theme which needs a little explanation even though the author converses clearly and precisely in his missives. The Perugia Division of Cancer Research (DCR) owes much to HLS because he was always ready with advice and help of every nature and because the Perugia Quadrennial International Conferences on Cancer (PQICC) had their beginning through his will and always enjoyed his authoritative approval and aid. He took part personally in the III, IV and V Conferences. On the occasion of the Centenary Celebrations of the Chair of Morbid Anatomy at Perugia University HLS saw to it that "Selected Reprints of the Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute" which were "Presented to honor the Department of Pathology, University of Perugia, 1961" arrived in Monteluce from Bethesda for the memorable occasion. He paid visits to the DCR in 1956, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1973 and 1974. On June 27, 1965 the University of Perugia bestowed on the outstanding man, HLS, an honoris causa Degree in Medicine and Surgery for his splendid scientific achievement and for his extraordinary humanity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)