# Bye, Opal **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 11, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666 "2013-03-11T23:59:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/281 "2013-03-12T17:40:04Z")
My heart goes out to **Opal** ’s loved ones, and most especially to her son. Such a huge, huge loss for friends and family. May she rest in peace. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/282 "2013-03-12T17:42:19Z")
Crap. She’s the very first Doper I messaged on AOL and the first Dopefest I attended was for her birthday. We had a few attempts to get together privately at area restaurants until she moved to Arizona but nothing ever came about. She will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/283 "2013-03-12T17:42:45Z")
RIP, Opal.☹ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/284 "2013-03-12T17:45:27Z")
Very sad. 1. Bye, Opal. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/285 "2013-03-12T17:58:59Z")
RIP, Opal! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/286 "2013-03-12T18:03:31Z")
We emailed each other a few times years ago. I sent her a teddy bear to try to cheer her. I wonder if she still had it. May you finally be at peace. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![baileygrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@baileygrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/baileygrrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/287 "2013-03-12T18:08:05Z")
Sad news, RIP dear Opal ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/288 "2013-03-12T18:08:30Z")
I was no great fan of Opal, but I didn’t wish her any ill either. This is sad news indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/289 "2013-03-12T18:16:58Z")
Damn. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/290 "2013-03-12T18:20:59Z")
I remember long ago when she posted a Pit thread of mine to her “Page O’ Funnies”, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and I felt like a real Doper for the first time. She pitched in big time when the boards here failed and Fathom became our temporary home. You are missed, OpalCat. ---
**Author:** ![Skerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Skerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skerri)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/291 "2013-03-12T18:23:44Z")
I haven’t been on the SDMB in years. According to my log in, it’s been since 2011. Opal was one of the first people who chatted me up here. She and I met at a MAD party at Jonathan Chance’s house. She was a sweet, quirky chick. I hope her family finds peace and I hope Dominick grows up knowing what an amazingly talented and funny person his mom was. So sad. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/292 "2013-03-12T18:32:33Z")
I did a recipe exchange with Opalcat. Vegetarian of course, and no buckeye recipes. So talented. Terrible news. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/293 "2013-03-12T18:39:41Z")
This is so sad. And yes, she was a fantastic artist. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/294 "2013-03-12T18:53:46Z")
A few short convos with her, never met, but always a welcome presence in a thread. Didn’t know she was so young (my age, cripes!). May her 20-year meme last for another 100. Hi Opal. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/295 "2013-03-12T19:13:30Z")
This is saddening news. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/296 "2013-03-12T19:15:03Z")
How can someone like her - who recorded so much of her world, meticulously and continuously - be stilled? What an example of our species she was. I hope somebody can collect all of her postings, messages, photos, artwork, and the rest of it and put it in one place. It would be a fascinating book. Opal’s World Domination Headquarters ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/297 "2013-03-12T19:19:55Z")
> [@JillGat](#): > > I hope somebody can collect all of her postings, messages, photos, artwork, and the rest of it and put it in one place. It would be a fascinating book. > Opal’s World Domination Headquarters 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/298 "2013-03-12T19:45:05Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Edited to add: [my favorite self portrait of hers](http://www.katherinehowardartist.com/images/being%20art%20self%20portrait.jpg). Damn, she struggled with that thing, remember? Opal was one of the first people I communicated with here on the Dope when I first signed up. I feel like I have lost a sister. I saved that image into my wallpaper folder. It will show up in rotation. 1. Damn! 2. Double damn! 3. Bye, Opal ☹ \ ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/299 "2013-03-12T19:45:42Z")
It’s unbelievable. I’ve never met her, but she had such a presence here that EVERY doper knew her. She is somebody who will continue to live on though, with all she left behind. I love your idea JillGat! ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/300 "2013-03-12T19:48:16Z")
She was such a fixture here, and on the internet in general–on two separate occasions in real life I’ve had people who had nothing to do with the SDMB or Fathom bring her up in conversation as someone they knew. We spent many an hour in IRC and here on the boards back in the early '00s and I’ve never met someone so lost, but so determined to find her place. I wish her family and friends peace. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666.md?page=16)