# 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:** 29
**Author:** ![Welfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e56c9b/32.png) [@Welfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Welfy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/562 "2013-03-17T16:42:48Z")
I had to figure out my email address and password for this site so I could log on again to respond here since it had been a few years. I remember when I first found the AOL SDMB boards when I was 15 (I am 30 now) and how everyone knew her, whether online or offline. When I think of the SDMB she has always been the first to come to mind. We butt heads sometimes (I was an uber-religious teenager and she was, well, Opalcat) but I always respected her and admired her. I followed her to Livejournal when she trekked over there in 2000. I later met my husband and many dear friends on Livejournal, so I have her to thank for that. Just a month ago, I had seen her update on LJ and wished her luck in everything. I’m still in shock over hearing about her passing. I hope that someone with some web-design skills can make a memorial page for her. She’s greatly missed. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/563 "2013-03-17T18:24:25Z")
A note from an old friend of the Dope. > [@The Man Who](#): > > Good evening. \ … In the early 2000s I was an occasional poster to the Straight Dope Message Board under the name The Man Who. I was saddened to hear of the recent passing of OpalCat, and have enjoyed reading the tribute thread to her. I notice that someone mentioned that she had gotten a shoutout during Jeopardy’s Ultimate Tournament of Champions and some folks were wondering if a clip was available. I asked over at the unofficial Jeopardy Message Board ([jboard.tv](http://jboard.tv)) and a very nice fellow named Mark Barrett was happy to dig up the clip and post it to YouTube. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRDQcSSJ524](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRDQcSSJ524) > > It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done. > > Could you please pass this link along in the “Bye Opal” thread? I’d do it myself, but I have no idea what my password is anymore. Please give all credit to Mark Barrett. > > Thanks, > > Cordially, > > The Man Who > **[Request for Video From a UToC Match. - JBoard.tv](https://jboard.tv/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1242)** (Real-life name info redacted by TubaDiva) ---
**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 17, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/564 "2013-03-17T18:34:59Z")
That’s a very nice tribute. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/565 "2013-03-17T18:48:26Z")
Oh my. This was a real punch in the gut. As you know, I haven’t been on SDMB in a very long time (absolutely nothing aginst the Board or any Dopers, just lack of time), but I still check on Facebook fairly regularly. Opal is one of my contacts on FB, and seeing her on there made me feel nice with a connection still to the Dope (especially since she was on FB under her Doper name). I appreciated seeing her on there, and always made me think of y’all when I saw her. I guess to me she was the Dope in my period away from the board. Opal, you were gone too soon, and I, and everyone else, will miss you. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/566 "2013-03-17T18:54:53Z")
> [@OpalCat\_s\_Mom](#): > > 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. Once again, my condolences to you and your family, \*\*Opal \*\*was great in parodying a guy with a very peculiar moon conspiracy theory in a thread in the Straight Dope, many moons ago. I later met her in a Phoenix dopefest, we exchanged artwork and she even posted my cartoon dedicated to her work on that thread in her site. I’m planing on going to the service in Tucson to offer my respects. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/567 "2013-03-17T19:26:40Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > She was one of our earliest of the early – her Straight Dope registration number was 36 – and was with us since the AOL days. [HIJACK]Who’s number one?[/HIJACK] ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/568 "2013-03-17T19:31:50Z")
[Nobody.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) But Lynn is #2. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/569 "2013-03-17T22:12:09Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > [Nobody.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) But Lynn is #2. Now that is spooky, Ed Zotti is number 6. If you know the mass guessing buzz of the Prisoner TV show, you should know that: Number 6 was very likely **Number 1** all along… 🆒 ---
**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 17, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/570 "2013-03-17T22:40:52Z")
Surely Cecil is Number One. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/571 "2013-03-17T22:48:19Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Surely Cecil is Number One. That would be telling. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/572 "2013-03-17T23:18:19Z")
We want, information. ---
**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 17, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/573 "2013-03-17T23:42:10Z")
Who is number one? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/574 "2013-03-18T02:29:39Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Surely Cecil is Number One. **Cecil Adams** is [number 31](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php). ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/575 "2013-03-18T03:15:47Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > **Cecil Adams** is [number 31](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php). He is not a number, he is a _free man!_ This kind of foolery is only to deal with my sadness. ---
**Author:** ![Larasaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7feea3/32.png) [@Larasaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larasaurus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/576 "2013-03-18T05:52:37Z")
Aw, damn. Just heard about OpalCat- she used to drive me nuts back on the AOL boards but she was never boring. Condolences to her family and friends. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/577 "2013-03-18T17:37:33Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Edited to add: [my favorite self portrait of hers](http://www.katherinehowardartist.com/images/being%20art%20self%20portrait.jpg). I’d never seen this before. What an extraordinary talent. My sincere condolences to all of Opal’s family. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/578 "2013-03-18T17:55:57Z")
Wow, just wow. I suddenly feel very blessed that I have indeed interacted with her in a more direct manner, despite still only being over the internet. She sold me my Roomba and Scooba through Google+. She even recontacted me out of the blue to let me know she’d found a box of extra filters for the Roomba when cleaning out her place. I remember feeling special that she even remembered it was me she had sold them to, let alone making the effort to get back in touch with me for the extra filters. Sigh. If anyone in New Mexico will be driving to her Tucson memorial, contact me please. 1. Rest 2. In 3. Peace. ---
**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 19, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/579 "2013-03-19T17:41:31Z")
That video clip from Jeopardy sure brings it all home. The fluid nature of how we all live, where we all live and what we all do has made the Internet a more intense and intimate space than many face to face encounters. I’m not allowing as Internet connections are better than or more intense than face to face. But I’m sure giving them their fair due. I’ve met some Dopers and have built friendships that have flourished only here as well as off-boards IRL. We are as good as our words for better or worse. When our words or our actions fail, then we fail. God knows I fail sometimes. So do many of us. Some of us remember maddening battles with **OpalCat** , and yet here we are now. Mourning a very real human presence in our lives. Cautionary lesson here to those online who roll their eyes at the reality of the SDMB. It is real, our connections are real. The gains and losses are real. Even if you never met **OpalCat** , one must admit the tangible nature of the loss. I mourn for the loss IRL of this Doper much more than on the Boards. She was beloved by her son and husband, parents and friends. ---
**Author:** ![bauble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@bauble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bauble)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/580 "2013-03-19T18:54:05Z")
☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666/581 "2013-03-19T22:09:10Z")
I seem to be missing the reference in the Jeopardy clip… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bye-opal/652666.md?page=30)