# 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:** 28
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/542 "2013-03-15T23:52:59Z")
Gonna miss her. Thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/543 "2013-03-16T00:36:19Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > [That would be 5 Time Champ (Kevin from St Ann, MO) who mouthed “Hi, Opal!” at the end of a Final Jeopardy Tournament of Champions show which taped in February and aired in March, 2005.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=304601) Do we have a Youtube clip of that moment? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/544 "2013-03-16T01:05:53Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Do we have a Youtube clip of that moment? I’ve never seen one. How about when you search, what do you find? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/545 "2013-03-16T01:52:12Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Thanks for sharing. It made me smile on this foggy dreary morning. That’s an internet memoriam thread for you; I’m sniffling and smiling at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/546 "2013-03-16T03:14:59Z")
I never thought of Opalcat as being anything but awesome. My condolences to her family and friends. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/547 "2013-03-16T04:41:53Z")
Wow, I can’t believe it. She was such a vibrant personality. I hadn’t interacted with her in years, but I still remember some of her threads like they were yesterday. Particularly, the buckeye thread and when she was working on that self portrait. Bye Opal. ---
**Author:** ![Frumpy\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Frumpy\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frumpy_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/548 "2013-03-16T08:35:16Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > We have been advised that Opalcat passed away today. > > This has been confirmed by a member of her family. > > We have no further information at this time. > > She was one of our earliest of the early – her Straight Dope registration number was 36 – and was with us since the AOL days. Opalcat was a part of our history. > > Our condolences to her family and especially to her son Dominic. ☹ - Well, There are several names that jump out to me when I think of the TM’s (and I think back to the usenet days): OC is/was one of them. In a totally selfish move, however, how do I find out what my registration number is? I’m curious as to how old I am here… ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/549 "2013-03-16T09:31:32Z")
> [@Frumpy\_Jones](#): > > ☹ - Well, There are several names that jump out to me when I think of the TM’s (and I think back to the usenet days): OC is/was one of them. > > In a totally selfish move, however, how do I find out what my registration number is? I’m curious as to how old I am here… You’re number 6263. When you view your profile, it’s the last part of the URL. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/550 "2013-03-16T13:51:12Z")
Just now seeing this. To paraphrase one of our memes, Heartache Ensues. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/551 "2013-03-16T15:30:44Z")
I have a prior commitment on the 23rd, but I will pause at 10am for a moment. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/552 "2013-03-16T16:09:06Z")
This is very sad news. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/553 "2013-03-16T18:31:08Z")
Argh. I just “heard” this via an ATMB thread. What a loss. She was very kind to me when I first showed up here, and earned my first pile-on, and I’ve had a soft spot for her since. **OpalCat’s Mom** , (1) I am very sorry for your loss, (2) I hope you stay with us, and (3), goodbye, **Opal**. ---
**Author:** ![starcrossedlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@starcrossedlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starcrossedlady)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/554 "2013-03-16T19:05:54Z")
OpalCat was a force of nature. She was artistic, passionate, kind, caring, and quite special. We met on the old aol boards, a long time ago in an internet far away. We clicked, how in the world I don’t know. She, along with a host of other wonderful people who only knew me by a username and some lines in a text helped me get the courage and wherewithal to get out of my first marriage. I got to meet her a couple of times as she came out here with her husband and son to hang out. We drifted apart as our lives changed and life happened. Something I will always regret. I was able to follow the snippets she let out on her livejournal, and was very happy she found someone to make her last few months gold. One time when we were IMing each other, I meant to write honey, but typo’d it as “hondy”. Opal found it vastly amusing, and so for years we would refer to each other as hondy. Fare thee well, hondy. I hope you find a lovely new world to explore and create and make wonderful. Melissa ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/555 "2013-03-16T20:49:24Z")
Never interacted , but she was one of the SDMB icons for me . Loved her self portrait. A terrible loss. RIP \*\*Opal \*\* ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat\_s\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ba8739/32.png) [@OpalCat\_s\_Mom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat_s_Mom)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/556 "2013-03-16T22:19:20Z")
> [@starcrossedlady](#): > > One time when we were IMing each other, I meant to write honey, but typo’d it as “hondy”. Opal found it vastly amusing, and so for years we would refer to each other as hondy. Melissa Glad you put that in–I had seen the reference and never knew how it started. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/557 "2013-03-17T13:07:00Z")
**OpalCat’s Mom** , if you have information about the Atlanta memorial, I’d try to attend. I was hoping that since she had moved back, I’d have the opportunity to finally meet her in person. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat\_s\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ba8739/32.png) [@OpalCat\_s\_Mom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat_s_Mom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/558 "2013-03-17T13:34:11Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > **OpalCat’s Mom** , if you have information about the Atlanta memorial, I’d try to attend. I was hoping that since she had moved back, I’d have the opportunity to finally meet her in person. ☹ The service will be at 2 pm, Saturday, March 30th at Morningside Presbyterian Church, 1411 N. Morningside Drive, room 201. The entire family will be there, including Dominic and Rob. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat\_s\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ba8739/32.png) [@OpalCat\_s\_Mom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat_s_Mom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/559 "2013-03-17T14:14:45Z")
Katherine’s online obituary and guest book are at [Katherine Fernie Obituary (2013) - Tucson, AZ - Arizona Daily Star](http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tucson/obituary.aspx?n=katherine-huck-fernie-howard&pid=163698930#fbLoggedOut) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/560 "2013-03-17T14:17:50Z")
I can’t believe I’m just coming across this thread now. I’ve been on this board since we used to attach the number “2000” to things to make them sound futuristic, and OpalCat was already an institution. She was more than a participant, I remember her hosting a temporary site for this board at “fathom” when this one went down. Sad, sad news. My condolences to her family, specifically to you, her mother, since you seem to have personally joined this thread, and to all who have been touched by her. ---
**Author:** ![dubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dubs)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/561 "2013-03-17T15:25:51Z")
So many Dopers were touched/amazed/amused by Opal. I hope we had the same effect on her. Opalcat, may your new path be lit by the loving memories of your friends here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666.md?page=27) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666.md?page=29)