And then there were two
It is with heavy hearts that pir8fancier and I feel we need to let this community know that on Thursday, we lost our co-moderator, gryphons-lair, as she died peacefully in her sleep. Diane was diagnosed about a year-and-a-half ago with a brain tumor; she had an operation that put her in remission for several months, but in mid-2011, the tumor returned and was determined to be inoperable. She spent the last several months in hospice care, and for much of that time, was on her feet going out with friends, attending political rallies for workers' rights, bird-watching, and generally enjoying time with friends that, sadly, many people don't get a chance to take advantage of before the end.
Late last year, several of you contributed to a 'fest we sort of threw together hastily, involving Norrington - I didn't say so at the time, but it was for Diane, because he was one of her favorite POTC characters. (In fact, in real life, she volunteered aboard a tallship used for educational purposes and that actually sailed with a crew and everything; this was one fan who really knew her naughty nauticals!) We wanted her to be able to enjoy the contributions while she was still able, and pir8fancier and I didn't know how much time she had left to do that.
Diane was in her early 50s and before she was diagnosed, she spent much of her career in government work, helping people with medical issues obtain the services they very much needed. She was a beloved aunt, sister, friend - you name it - and the world's a little dimmer now. She was a joy to work with for the community, and it was also an honor to call her a friend and fellow fan.
You're not required to do anything but read this. If you feel a need to do something, donate to the charity of your choice; if you need help deciding, I'm sure anything that helps cancer or hospice patients would have been appreciated by Diane. Or, if you have a fond memory or funny story about her, feel free to share it in the comments. She was one of the originators of this community following the release of the POTC sequels, thinking of it as a place where "old-school" fans could go to find or resurrect old stories.
(And I'm using one of my Santa icons, since that's something Diane used to do for fellow fans during the holidays, too - "hat" their favorite icons upon request.)
Late last year, several of you contributed to a 'fest we sort of threw together hastily, involving Norrington - I didn't say so at the time, but it was for Diane, because he was one of her favorite POTC characters. (In fact, in real life, she volunteered aboard a tallship used for educational purposes and that actually sailed with a crew and everything; this was one fan who really knew her naughty nauticals!) We wanted her to be able to enjoy the contributions while she was still able, and pir8fancier and I didn't know how much time she had left to do that.
Diane was in her early 50s and before she was diagnosed, she spent much of her career in government work, helping people with medical issues obtain the services they very much needed. She was a beloved aunt, sister, friend - you name it - and the world's a little dimmer now. She was a joy to work with for the community, and it was also an honor to call her a friend and fellow fan.
You're not required to do anything but read this. If you feel a need to do something, donate to the charity of your choice; if you need help deciding, I'm sure anything that helps cancer or hospice patients would have been appreciated by Diane. Or, if you have a fond memory or funny story about her, feel free to share it in the comments. She was one of the originators of this community following the release of the POTC sequels, thinking of it as a place where "old-school" fans could go to find or resurrect old stories.
(And I'm using one of my Santa icons, since that's something Diane used to do for fellow fans during the holidays, too - "hat" their favorite icons upon request.)