Crossroads/OOC

[Zack Alcar]

She was always a nice friendly person. This saddens me that she passed away. My condolences to her family.

[Serenity Silverhand]

I didn't have many an opportunity to write with them as they seemed to be more a 'middle of the day' player but the few times I did have the pleasure of doing so they were certainly fun and engaging to play with.

Rest In Power, Des. You will be missed.

[Rohin MacKurn]

Oh no. This is never easy.

When I returned this last spring, it was after the passing of Lyrical's player, and one of the very first people to greet me in the lobby as my screen name hit the scroll was Deanne-- whole-hearted and unreserved enthusiasm and encouragement.

We spent the better part of a few hours catching up and reminiscing. I shared with her a book on the travels of Rick Halliburton I'd picked up in the intervening years, inspired by her character, and we laughed about how time passes.

Little did we know time would be so short.

I feel so lucky to have crossed paths with her and my heart goes out to those who were close to her.

I don't know that I've met a more genuine and loving person. May we all pay that love forward. <3

Rest in peace, friend. <3

[Mira Burke]

Des was one of the very first faces Mira met when I returned to Rhy'Din after ~20 years. They were always wonderfully nice to me in the lobby and I'd cherish the times our characters interacted. I know that this stuff happens... and I'm not going to make believe that we were bosom buddies by any stretch... but this is the first Rhy'Din friend I ever had that has passed away. On an already somber American Thanksgiving for me after having my last grandparent pass away, this is gutting to discover. Thinking about you, Deanne... and hoping you're kicking ass doing whatever it is we do in the thereafter.

[Morgan LaLuna]

Dee was a delight and just so amazing. She was one of the most inclusive and talented people I knew and always had something up her sleeve! The hole left in my heart will never meet anything that could ever fill it. Ever, ever, ever, not even close. Working with her and writing alongside her has been the most amazing privilege; any heart she's touched is better for it.

Wherever she goes on her journey, I hope I can meet her again sometime, and catch up on all the amazing ideas she comes up with.



Thank you, Deanne.

Truly, thank you.

[KhaoticBliss]

Oof. Jackie was one of the first real friends Saila ever made, and there was nothing like Dee for the zany adventures she could throw together for them on the fly. Few people exude such exuberant fun and warmth, and I feel honored to have written with her.

Wishing her family peace. Dee, I am will miss our conversations, and you can be sure that when I find a suitable dragon to put in my yard, I will name it Jackie.

So much love.

[Arthour]

I'm going to miss Pharlen so much...

[Anubis Karos]

Man, this is NEVER something you want to see.

Unfortunately, I have not been as blessed with long-time interaction with Deanne as many other long-term players in this community. But I have been fortunate enough to have at least short to medium term interactions. In all of these, she was a masterful and vivacious writer. Far more importantly, she was a kind-hearted soul who always made sure to make sure you were welcome and at ease. This is a serious wound to our community.

Like Mira, my holidays were already dimmed, in my case by the passing of my uncle. This dims it even more.

Rest in Power, Deanne.

[Claire Gallows]

Words are hard and "I'm sorry to hear it" just doesn't seem like enough. But I am, so very sorry to hear it, that is. This is awful news and our community is poorer for her absence. Throughout my time in this community, Dee was a living incarnation of the spirit of creativity. She always had something fun and new up her sleeve and had a way of being able to bring even the shyest of people into the fold. She was a prime example of what it is to be inclusive and collaborative and welcoming and we could all stand to follow her lead in her honor. She will be missed... terribly so... but so much of her creation and spirit will assuredly live on through the impact she's had on everyone here. I had a good cry about it yesterday when I first heard but today I'm determined to raise a glass to the Mariner and her wibbly wobbly adventures with her family, to all of her other characters, and to the wonderful, kind hearted woman behind them all. She may not be here physically to share with us her silliness and love, but she's by no means gone, and I will think of her fondly accordingly.

Rest well Dee and raise some mischief with Gem for us <3

[Josette Wheeler]

This made my heart so heavy to read. Her writing always made me smile and it was always clear how much she went above and beyond to extend a hand and find ingenious and often hilarious ways to include and engage everyone in collaborative play. There are souls that are beacons that light the way and inspire others simply by how they lived. I take comfort in knowing that the impact of her beautiful spirit and her words will linger long after her soul has moved on to the next great adventure.

[Rachael Blackthorne]

I remember playing off of one of Deanne's characters back in 1999 on AOL with my oldest in more ways than one roleplaying character. I always had a smile on my face during and after the play sessions, which were usually about something as basic as navel oranges of all things. I later encountered that character and other characters with some of my own other characters and I was frankly shocked to eventually learn that this one player was the mastermind behind all of them. Deanne's characters were wildly different in terms of character types, mannerisms and ages.

Deanne's characters did have a few things in common, though. They were all kind, warm and loving beings in their own way to other characters. Her characters also made sure to do their best to bring everyone that they could together in wacky or heartfelt or scary adventures no matter who the other characters or players were. None of that surprises me because it was a perfect reflection of the player herself.

Our little corner of the world was made much richer because of Deanne's presence in it, both with her characters and the player herself, and her absence from it is all the more keenly felt now.

Sometimes you will never know the value of something, until it becomes a memory -- Dr. Seuss.

I will close with this thought:

[Fionn]

I'm not on RoD any more, but I was linked to this article by someone, else I wouldn't have known about this. I spoke with Pharlen's player on the twelfth of last month, and knew she was having health problems, but didn't know it was so extreme that she'd abruptly be gone. She was one of the first people I encountered after joining RDI, and has remained a fond and respected friend throughout the time I was involved with the pertinent population. She has continued to be a friend since then, as well, even if we didn't communicate frequently. My condolences and respects to her family, human, canine, feline, avian et alia, and to those who have lost a writing partner. She will be missed.

[PrlUnicorn]

Losing two relatives (my Dad and my cousin) as well as Panther/Rob and Deeanne in the same year has made things rough.

I first met Deanne, who then went by Pharl, back on AOL in the nineties. (Seems like forever ago!) She had always been a creative whirlwind. Whether she was playing the eccentric Pharlen, the serious Haly, the adventurous Rick, the doting father and extraordinary nurse, Mist; either version of Des, Jackie the wild child, or any number of others, she drew people to her and made them feel welcome. It was like she'd set a table for a holiday dinner and threw the doors wide open for everyone to come in and join her. Dee always seemed to be able to focus on positive and happy things. I envied that.

We are richer for having known her and, yet, poorer for having lost her. She was a bright light in an often darkened world. Dee taught some of us that was perfectly fine for grown adults to have times of silliness with a side of mayhem.

Memories are the ability to recall the past in small bursts, preferably of treasured times.
I'm not likely to forget:
The petting zoo gone wild!
The clowns!
Maggie riding shotgun in Des's Pontiac while Ettyn hitched a ride on top of the car. This is one of my fondest memories of RP! I think everyone involved had fits of laughter at various points during the night. This was silliness with a side of mayhem!
Mist playing Prince Charming to Collie's Cinderella when he tried to put a shoe on her foot. Hilarity ensued!
The more serious times like the rescue of Mist and the freeing of souls on Amore Belle. The Traveling Trio and Jackie were in on that.
The Traveling Trio; Amaris, Des, and Maggie in their adventures elsewhere or attending events together.
Movie travels to Grauman's Chinese Theatre in different time periods with Jackie.
Conversations about our shared love of crafting and Sims in its many incarnations.

For anyone reading, possibly a long time from now:
Her youtube channel is Goldenthrush
Some of her art is here: https://www.deviantart.com/goldenthrush
The link on her profile leads to Deanna Smith's Fantastically Ordinary
Other than this folder, which I expect will eventually end up in the archive called The Back Alley, these are bits and pieces of her words and her work that have been left behind. In the grand scheme of things, this is not much. I hope being able to look at these sites will help to remind us of the person we were fortunate to know and to explain to others who she was, why she was special, and why she is so missed!

I expect she arrived on the other side sliding into home base on a skateboard or something equally outlandish and celebrating what a ride her life had been. I'm going to miss Deeanne (you know, I've never been sure if it's Deeanne or Deeanna, her Husbeast - her pet name for him - called her the latter), more than words can ever express. This is how I want to remember her. This video showcases her humor perfectly. I want to remember her as laughing, joyful, and whimsical. That's the person I knew best.

Deanna's Camoflaged Surrender Frog

[Fae Pendragon]

I can't believe she has gone. She has been part of my RP family for so long, that I can hardly remember a time without her. She was a sparkling ray of sunshine in every conversation and never failed to make me smile. The world just got a little darker today.

[Marissa]

I didn't know Deanne very well, as our RP interactions were pretty limited and we had only recently become FB friends; but I know she was a big part of this community and as such, will be missed by many, as well as by those she called family and friends. I have no words really, except to express my sympathies to all those who knew and loved her.