Saying goodbye to Dal, a Forum friend

[suelyblu]

I think I recall his name. I never had much interaction with him...but never the less this is sad news indeed. RIP Dal.

[full measure]

I didn't know Dal except obliquely, but he was a loved member of this community, and therefore of great value to me.  Mortality seems to be all around us, so I want to say how much I value the contributions of everyone here, past present and future.  This community means so much to me, and anything that lessens it is sad indeed, let us all value each other the more in his memory.

kj

[Nikki]

I will always think of him as Dal. Years ago we exchanged posts on the book threads, and his droll sense of humor always made me laugh.  There were so many times we exchanged posts about books/discussions, and I enjoyed everything he said.  He was a fellow Philadelphian, but we never met in person something I will always regret.  Rest in peace Dal.

[chapeaugris]

I never had any direct interaction with Dal, but I lurk on some of the threads he moderated and participated in and I always appreciated his sense of humor. "Droll" is a good description of it, and it was amusing when occasionally a newer member thought he was serious. How fortunate that, thanks to the forum, he already had a friend in Dallas when he moved there.

I'll miss his presence.

[ingmarnicebbmt]

R.I.P. Dal

[fofol]

Dal, even your sarcasm was loaded with wit and humor.  Sadly missed, Mike.

[royandronnie]

For those of you who know--a certain irony that I heard about Dal's passing from Ministering Angel…

I found out about his cancer back in the winter when he gave up his moderator position. I wrote him an email titled something like "Farewell" (!) and asked whether he lived anywhere near anyplace I lived or visited, which was how I found out he lived in Dallas--and he said if I wanted to meet him I'd better hurry up. That's when I learned he was dying. And now I'm so glad I got a chance to meet him, though it meant a small amount of inconvenience to me as I paused on my way home from Arizona in early May.

Like most of you, what I loved about Steve--though I shall remember him as Dal--was that beautifully precise scalpel of his wit, often, in PMs, turned on some contributor or other in Elements and Themes. How appropriate that he was a doctor, then! I'm also very sorry I didn't get to really be friends with him, as Ellen did, but I did get to have a couple of enjoyable conversations with him before his illness took its final turn.

And now, at her request, I'm going to quote Ministering Angel, who asked me if I could post her condolences here. The two of them crossed swords in the past, but he didn't hold a grudge, and neither has she:


"Dal was always a gentle, patient, funny, wise, sometimes exasperated voice on the Scenes threads, a true gentleman and an excellent Moderator. He also made some brief but heartfelt posts on the Farewell Heath thread which meant a great deal to me. Thank you for being here, Dal, another gentle soul now free to fly."


RIP in a rainbow-colored world, where sexuality is irrelevant, and give Jack Twist and Heath Ledger and Jackie PaintedShoes a big kiss from all of us, Dal. And have a good snicker too at my sentimentality…

[garyd]

Beautifully done R&D. 
And say hi to MA. 
Dal refereed several of our discussions.

[jack]

like many of you, i never met dal in person (using his forum name seems more natural to me), but often in days gone by conversed with him via pm.  my impression was of an intelligent caring spirit, and a person whose presence on the forum was a boon.  i am saddened at his passing.  other closer friends of mine are battling serious cancer right now, and knowing this gives it all more weight. 

given the age range of the forum members, i expect will will be having more conversations like this as time goes by.

[donna]

Rest in peace, Dal.  We rarely ran into each other in the threads, but when we did, it was always a memorable occasion.  My hearttfelt condolences to Dal's friends and family. 

[TwistandShout]

Oh my lord. Before I was captioned obsessed, I posted all over the forum in various threads. I first met dal in the Philadelphia gathering five years ago earlier this month, then a month later in NYC. He was warm, charming, encouraging--a true gentleman. He gave me the confidence to move into captions and, early on, would post very occasionally there with words of support.

Om mani padme hum, dal. Go into the brightest light, my friend. But knowing you, you will come back in your quest to help others find the better natures of their angels. And we'd all be the better for it.

An embrace to speed you on your way . . .

[Jenny]

I had the good fortune to meet Dal several times at forum events and to have his reliably thoughtful and intriguing contributions to the discussions of Close Range and Bad Dirt, two volumes of Annie Proulx's Wyoming short stories. Dal was a sweet man with a streak of gentle but piercing wit in the face of some of the more repetitive and impassioned posters to various forums. He didn't spend a lot of time feeling sorry for himself, even when he had a right to feel that way. Most of all, he was devoted to Brokeback Mountain, both the story and the film, and his observations illuminated many aspects of them for me. I wish I had known he was ill, but we had fallen out of touch. I'm glad he had Ellen, Charlotte and others with him during those final months. I will miss him, and wish his loved ones strength and comfort to support each other as they grieve his loss.

May there be a sunlit mountaintop and a partner in your tent, Dal--I figure it's heaven, so we'll spare you the sheep.

[AZ.bbm]

Per suggestion by Killersmom/Linda-

[dejavu]

I am sorry to learn that Dal has passed on.  Pancreatic cancer is a tough way to go, and has touched the lives of several people I knew.  I met Dal at several of the Forum gatherings and found him a sweet and caring person.

[fritzkep]

Eternal rest grant unto him, and let perpetual light shine upon him.